Nace_Ventura_Tips_and_Tricks_3ed_1991 Nace Ventura Tips And Tricks 3ed 1991

User Manual: Nace_Ventura_Tips_and_Tricks_3ed_1991

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rd Edition

Tips & Tricks
By Ted Nace
with Daniel Will-Harris

Voted "Best PC
Desktop Publishing Book
of 1990" by the readers
of Publish magazine

o

PEACHPIT PRESS

Ventura International Character Set

More Responses
From Reviewers
and Readers
(continued from back cover)

Provides many suggestions not found in
the Ventura manual. Highly recommended for those using Ventura on the

Ventura's manual and workbook are
perfectly complemented by this
minor masterpiece.

IBM.

-

-

Small Press

The tips and the advice alone make the
book indispensable, especially a sec- .
tion no manual could ever include: practicing, well, voodoo tricks against inexplicable but not unheard-of problems.
-

Directions magazine

This is the single best book about
Ventura. If you buy only one book, this
should be it. Sprinkled throughout the
book are tips and tricks for things you
wouldn't think could be done. These
treasures alone justify adding this book
to your library.
-

Laser News

Desktop Publishing and Office
Automation

Truly an expert's guide.
-

PC Publishing

I can't even begin to tell you how invaluable your Ventura Tips and Tricks book
has been. I recommend it to
everyone.
-

Amy Jone, Berkeley, CA

I have found your excellent book to be
extremely helpful and loaded with great
hints. Certainly the best all-round
book on Ventura that I've seen. It
goes beyond the "This-is-what-thescreen-looks-like" books.
-

Dr. Shih-chang Wang, San Francisco, CA

Let me take this opportunity to thank
you on a very enjoyable reference book.
There is enough humor, wit, and
damn good information that it makes
learning more enjoyable. Please keep
writing more about Ventura.

I recently purchased your book and
have enjoyed every minute of it. I
have used Ventura for about a year now
and I think it's great, but still have
found a lot of useful information in your
book. Thanks.

-Henry D. Hill 3rd, Rockaway, NJ

-

It is a pleasure to read a book which is
neither submerged in jargon nor
aimed at the Mickey Mouse level!
- A. D. Cunningham, London, England

I just finished reading your book. I installed Ventura, tried the mouse a few
times, looked at the various screens,
and then started reading your book. It
worked! I have now turned out a number of nice documents.

I recently purchased your book, Ventura Tips and Tricks, and find it very
helpful-and, for some reason I can't explain, more comprehensible than
the other Ventura books on the
market. It is easily read and packed
with information.
-

Tanya Marshall, New Castle, DE

I just have to say a hearty "thank you"
for publishing Ventura Tips and Tricks.
I'm a new user of Ventura, and I've
found this book to be the most helpful and practical book on Ventura
I've seen. In fact, I took a class at a
local computer dealership and found
that the instructor had used your book
to learn Ventura herself.
-

jan Keiiey, Little Rock, AR

I purchased another after-market book
on Ventura, but found that if I couldn't
find the answer to a problem in the Ventura reference manual, the other book
didn't help either. Then I found your
book, and 10 and behold, it has
helped lots of times.
-

Peter Johnson, Los Altos, CA

-

Dee Aston, Provo,

ur

Chester Treadway, Miami, FL

I buy about $5,000 worth of books a
year and I find yours to be one of the
better works. I consider myself an expert in desktop publishing, scanning,
image processing, graphics, and CAD.
Your book is one of the most useful
of the genre.
-

Dale M. McNulty, Newport Beach, CA

I would like to applaud your book!
-

Stellan Borg, Sollentuna, Sweden

Helpful. A solid, professional book.
-

Nancy Campbell, Owings, MD

The book is excellent ... a really good
job.
-

William Tsang, Chicago, IL

Very glad I purchased your book.
-

Edward Zawlocki, Tokyo, Japan

Thanks for a book which has really
helped us learn Ventura.
- E.P. Lukert, Arlington, TX

Wonderful. I use it more often than
Xerox's own manual!
-

A great help!
-

Jennifer Grant, Shelburne, VT

Paul Weiss, Santa Barbara, CA
Guido M. Haas, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

A super book!
-

M. T. Parker, Denver, CO

Outstanding!
-

Dennis C. Kelly, Searcy, AR

Very useful!
-

Elinor C. Cruze, Redwood City, CA

An excellent reference source.
-

Michele L. Spencer, Raleigh, NC

I loved your Ventura Tips and
Tricks!
-

Thomas F. Collura, Chagrin Falls, OH

Very informative and helpful.
-

Susan Pratt, Leesburg, VA

Enjoyed your book very much.
-

Guy Temieux, Montreal, Canada

Your book has been invaluable to me.
John G. Conway, Burwood, Victoria,
Australia

I have found this book to be of considerable value to me in working with
Ventura Publisher.
-

R. Carl Stoufer, Gainesville, FL

Your book is great. The most understandable text on Ventura I've
found.
-

Barbara Peterson, Windermere, FL

Very interesting and informative
-

Timothy J. Ambroshe, Clearwater, FL

Real helpful!
-

Jeannette Roerig, Des MOines, IA

Thank you for publishing a book of
this caliber.
-

Lawrence J. Kolbrak, Chippewa Falls, WI

Am impressed with the quality of information in your book. It's easily read
and there's a ton of tips.
-

Bill Fales, Nappanee, IN

We have been haVing quite a time
mastering Ventura, and this book has
helped greatly.
- Marlin G. Waechter, Stanton, NE
As one who has struggled with the
Xerox documentation, your book was
really a fresh wind. A fantastic book.
-

Earl Selby, Carmel Valley, CA

Ventura Tips and Tricks is the most
up-to-date reference yet published
not only on Ventura Publisher but on
the whole desktop publishing industry.
-

Jan Reid, Santa Cruz, CA

This is the first book that' 5 really
made sense out of Ventura style sheets.
-

Gary Tarbet, Washington, DC

Ventura Tips and Tricks is a drop of
dew! Everything so clear! I was so

grateful to see a few words about
Ventura's voodoo.
-

Paula V. Green, Colorado Springs, CO

I have gotten a tremendous value
from your Ventura Tips and Tricks,
especially the chapters on managing
files and Lotus worksheets.
-

Chuck Fairchild, Washington, DC

Your book is fantastic. It's been an incredible help in teaching Ventura.
-

Victoria Rose, Shelburne, VT

Your book helped clear up a lot of
the little problems I've had with Ventura.
-

Ken Rubman, Westbury, NY

Your book is by far the best supplemental publication on Ventura.
-

Tedd Powell, Pittsburgh, PA

I found your book to be one of the
best (if not the best) third-party
book on Ventura. The information is
excellent. Keep up the outstanding work!
- Eric N. Foster, Pittsburgh, PA
I really was impressed with your
book. I've been using Ventura since Day
One. It was nice to pick up something I
can throw in front of a student.
-

-

Larry Marshall, Los Angeles, CA

Davina Baker, Aptos, CA

I just purchased Ventura Tips and
Tricks and don't know how I've
made it without it. Don't change a
thing.
-

Thank you for a fine book!

Lorian Lipton, Winsor, CT

I have found the book invaluable in
my business.
-

Hilda Farley, Bucks, England

A super book!
-

Cris Sandifer, Key Largo, FL

We love your book!
-

Chuck Gittelson, San Francisco, CA

A very good book. I was impressed
by it.
-

Kevin Dean, Charlottesville, VA

Your book is excellent. I'm recommending it highly.
Nina Johnson, Novato, CAGood information/

Well written and very useful.
-

Patrick Gaffney, Chicago, IL

I have really gotten a lot from your
book.
-

Gale Noble, San Diego, CA

I am a very satisfied user of Ventura Tips and Tricks.
-

Chris Cowdrey, Modesto, CA

First rate! Just what I needed!
-

John S. Taylor, Arnold, MD

Truly helpful!
-

Michael J. Stu bIer, Phoenix, AZ

Very helpful!
-

Bob Stoulill, Albany, OR
Pam Granquist, Phoenix, AZ

Paul Glick, Skokie, IL
Debbie Crane, Washington, DC
Nancy Anderson, Colorado Springs, CO
Richard Niefield, Houston, TX
John Conway, Victoria, Australia
Robbin C. Lynch, Vero Beach, FL
Robert F. Dugan, Woodinville, WA
Fred W. Hays, Kettering, OH
Frank R. Eichenlaub, Seattle, WA
Brian Nunes, Los Angeles, CA

Very good!
Gary Minniss, Scottsdale, AZ
Marc Gander, Hampstead, England

Very informative!
-

Rick Fenstermaker, St. Paul, MI

Very useful!
Peter Johnson, Los Altos, CA
Ralph F. Rumpf, Stevensville, MI
Robert A. Walker, Falls Church, VA
George Fleming, Westbrook, CT

Excellent!
Robert U. Guthrie, Omaha, NE
Jean Lhoirh, Brussels, Belgium
R. Carl Stoufer, GaineSVille, FL
Timothy J. Ambroshe, Clearwater, FL
Philip H. Dossick, Forest Hills, NY
Robert Dufon, East Chicago, IN

Extremely useful!
-

Bette A. Grunkemeyer, Dublin, OH

Invaluable!
-

Sue Horton, London, England

Outstanding!
-

Kurt Kiesow III, Los Gatos, CA

Great!
Jerome Wahlert, Mundelein, IL
Gale Noble, San Diego, CA
Peter &hneider, Philadelphia, PA
Evelyn O'Donnell, Sunnyvale, CA
Lee Jones, Hiroshima, Japan
Stefanie Korner, Munich, West Germany
Juli Perry, Orlando, FL

Wonderful!
Rita Schultz, Minneapolis, MN
John F. DePaola, Capitol Heights, MD
Robert Watkins, New York, NY

Ventura
Tips &
Tricks
3RD

EDITION

Ted Nace
with Daniel Will-Harris

o
PEACHPIT

PRESS

VENTURA TIPS AND TRICKS, 3RD EDITION
Ted Nace
with Daniel Will-Harris
Peachpit Press, Inc.
1085 Keith Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94708
415/527-8555 (phone)
415/524-9775 (fax)
Copyright © 1987-1991 by Ted Nace and Peachpit Press, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher. For information, contact Peachpit Press.
Portions of this book originally appeared in PC World, Publish, Personal Publishing, Desktop
Communications, Ventura Professionall, and Computer Currents magaZines.
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are
claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit Press was
aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial caps or all caps.
Notice of Liability:
The information in this book is distributed on an "As Is" basis, without warranty. Neither the
author nor Peachpit Press shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any
liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instmctions
contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described herein.

Library of Congress Cataloging-In-Publication Data
Nace, Ted.
Ventura tips and tricks. / Ted Nace, Daniel Will-Harris. - 3rd ed.
p.
cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-938151-20-7: $27.95
1. Desktop publishing. 2. Ventura publisher (Computer program)
I. Will-Harris, Daniel. II. Title. III. Title: Ventura tips and tricks
Z286.D47N33 1991
652.5'536-dc20
91-48732
CIP

0987654321
Printed and bound in the United States of America
ISBN 0-938151-20-7

This book is dedicated to the memory of
Benjamin Linder.

Thanks
This book would be far less complete without the contributions of
Daniel Will-Harris, who wrote most of the profiles of software and
hardware products that work in conjunction with Ventura. It's
been written that "nobody knows more about desktop publishing
with pes than Daniel Will-Harris." Actually, nobody knows anywhere near as much, except maybe God and Toni Will-Harris. My
sincere appreciation also to Lindsay Mugglestone, who did the
research for bringing the "Resources" section up to date and who
also checked the manuscript for accuracy. (Of course, after Lindsay was finished I went through and added a whole new set of
mistakes.) Thanks to Cathy Cockrell and Kimn Neilson for proofreading the book and to Dennis McLeod for designing the cover.
Thanks to the many people who shared their favorite tips and
tricks. Among the tipsters: Rick Altman, Janet Bein, Andrew Buc,
Don Heiskell, Dee Knight, Lee Lorenzen, John Meyer, Randall
Newton, Sally Robinson, Douglas Smith, Jim Smith, and Mary
Westheimer. For smoking out inaccuracies in the previous two
editions, thanks to Peter Donnelly, Neil Sandow, Peter Hardy,
Craig Seligman, Luther Sperberg, and Will Tait.
Thanks to Larry Gerhard and the folks at Ventura Software and
Hill & Knowlton (Ventura's PR agency), for their continued support of this book. Special thanks to Andy Miller, who not only
works 9 to 5 as Ventura Software's shepherd to third-party developers, but also genuinely cares about the future of Ventura Publisher. While the administration running the marketing of Ventura
Publisher has changed several times since the first release of the

Thanks

xi

program, one person who has been consistently helpful over the
years is Cheryl Downing. Thanks, Cheryl!
Additional thanks to others who provided software and hardware,
including LaserMaster Corporation, which loaned a LaserMaster
LMI000 Plain Paper Typesetter and a GlassPage monitor; Radius,
which loaned a TPD/21 monitor; Hewlett-Packard, which loaned
a LaserJet III printer; Adobe Systems and Bitstream, which loaned
fonts; Anderson Consulting & Software, which loaned the Tiffany
Plus utility used for Windows screen snapshots; and Symsoft,
which loaned the HotShot Graphics program used for DOS/ GEM
screen snapshots.
Other colleagues who gave inspiration and encouragement include Rick Altman, Jesse Berst, Michael Copeland, Bob Cowart,
Steve Cummings, Mike Cuthbertson, Louise Domenitz, Susie
Hammond, Richard Jantz, Bob Moody, Bill Neuenschwander, Jay
Nitschke, Katherine Pfeiffer, Ernest Priestly, David Ranson, Gene
Rodrigues, Steve Roth, Sally Skanderup, Lynn Walterick, Bob
Weibel, Tony Webster, Jim Welch, Toni Will-Harris, and Joe and
Elizabeth Woodman.
When I had almost given up the hope of ever finishing this book
at my own busy office, a compassionate Kit Duane offered to let
me use her house as a secret work hideaway. I never actually
schlepped all my stuff down to the Duane's, but just knowing I
could go there was a great feeling.
I can't imagine a better group of people to work with than my
compaiieros at Peachpit Press. Hearty applause and forearm
bashes to Carl Bruce, Gregor Clark, Keasley Jones, Gaen Murphree, Dawn Stevens, and Elizabeth Weiss.
Finally, thanks to my wife, Helen, for being incredibly nice to me
and bringing me all kinds of plants and candy. Thanks to Jasper
and Emma for working and playing with me. Now we get to do
all those things we said we would do after the book got done!

Production Note
Most of this book was written using WordPerfect and Microsoft
Word, though a significant portion was typed directly into Ventura. The computer system consisted of a PC's Limited 386 from
Dell Computer, a Relisys VGA monitor, and a LaserMaster GlassPage monitor. DOS/GEM screen snapshots were made and
cropped using Hotshot Graphics from Symsoft; Windows Ventura
screen snapshots were made with Tiffany Plus from Anderson
Consulting & Software. Other illustrations were assembled from a
variety of sources. Some were loaded into frames with Ventura;
others were photostatted to size, and taped or pasted in place.
Aside from the figures that were manually pasted in, the book
(including tables, figures, index, and table of contents), was formatted with the DOS/GEM version running under Windows 3.0.
Master pages were printed on a LaserMaster 1000 Plain Paper
Typesetter. Principal fonts were Adobe's Garamond and Avant
Garde.
At the printer during creation of negatives, the 8.5- by II-inch
master pages created by the LaserMaster 1000 were photographically reduced by 18 percent, resulting in the final 7- by 9-inch trim
size. The cover was designed and produced by Dennis McLeod
using a combination of Macintosh typesetting and traditional
graphic arts methods. The book was printed on a web press. I'm
ashamed to admit that the paper is not recycled, but we're working on it and hopefully will switch over sometime soon.

Table of
Contents
Introduction ..

SECTION I -

. .. 1

ORIENTATION

1. Which Ventura Is Right for You? ............. 9
What's New About the Gold Series? ...................................
Minor Improvements ........................................
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Should I Buy the DOS/GEM Version or the Windows Version? .............
Features Comparison ........................................
Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Printing ...................................................
Scalable Screen Fonts .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Organization of Commands ...................................
Importing Text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
No Undo ..................................................
Multiple Clipboards ..........................................
Working with Multiple Chapters ...............................
Speed ....................................................
PostScript Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Buginess ..................................................
Computer ..................................................
Running the DOS/GEM Version from Windows ..................

10
10
11
11
11
12
12
13
13
14
14
14
14
15
15
16
16
16

2. How Ventura Works ....................... 19
What Can Ventura Do? ............................................. 24
Some History .............................................. . . . . . . . 24

xiv

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

A Scenario ........................................................ 28
Modes: Five Programs in One ........................................ 30
Analyzing the Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Category 1: Bridges to the Outside World ......... '" ................... 31
Category 2: Customizing the Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. 32
Category 3: Text and Graphics Operations .............................. 32
Category 4: Formatting .............................................. 33
Style Sheets and Tags: Formatting at the Paragraph Level ........... 33
Document Specifications ...................................... 34
Frame Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................. 34
Sub-Paragraph Specifications ................................... 35
Graphic Specifications ........................................ 35
A Final Concept: Ventura As a Software Hub ............................ 36
A Bi-directional Exchange ..................................... 36
Benefits of the Open System Approach .......................... 37
A Drawback of the Open System Approach ...................... 37
Putting It All Together ............................................... 38

SECTION II -

HARDWARE

3. Configuring Your System .................. 41
Choosing a Computer ............................................... 42
Five Configurations .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................ 44
A Low-End System ......................... , ................ .44
An Inexpensive Laser Printer System ........................... .45
A Medium-Priced System (Speed Oriented) ...................... .45
A Medium-Priced System (Type-Oriented) ....................... .46
A High-Priced System ........................................ .46
Full-Blown Publishing ....................................... .47
Conclusion ........................................................ 48

4. Printers ................................. 49
Laser Printer Engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................. 49
Canon Engines .............................................. 51
Higher-Resolution and Enhanced Resolution Printers ..................... 52
Page Description Languages .......................................... 53
PostScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 54
PCL Level 4 and Laser]et Clones ................................ 55
PCL LevelS ................................................. 56
Printing Speed ..................................................... 56
The Printer Capabilities Page ......................................... 57
Laser]et Fonts ............................................... 60

Table of Contents

xv

Printer Upgrades ..................................................
Profile: LaserMaster ................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Tabloid News ..............................................
Fonts-a-plenty ...................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Special Font Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printing Complex Pages .......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What About PostScript Graphics? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

60
62
63
63
64
64
6S

5. Monitors ................................ 67
Monitor Lingo and Standards ........................................
Profile: Soft Kicker ................................................
ZAP Mode .................................................
Software Compatibility .......................................
Large-Screen Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Screen Fonts ...............................................
Aspect Ratio of Pixels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Size of Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Flicker ....................................................
Heat and Power ............................................
Software Compatibility .......................................
Primary versus Secondary Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ease of Installation ..........................................
Contrast ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cabling ....................................................
Computer Compatibility ......................................
Edge Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Orientation ................................................
Graphics Coprocessors .......................................
Use with a Mouse ............. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Health Effects ..............................................
Profile: Wyse WY-700 ..............................................
Profile: Radius TPD ................................................
Profile: LaserMaster GlassPage 1280 and DPS-1 Graphics Card .............

68
69
70
71
72
73
73
73
74
74
74
7S
7S
7S
7S
76
76
76
77
77
77
79
80
81

6. Scanners ................................ 83
Optical Scanners ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Video Scanners ..................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scanning Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Black-and-White versus Grayscale Scanners ............................
Displaying TIFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Memory Demands ...........................................
The Problem with Laser Printers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scanning Line Art ..................................................
Profile: Hewlett-Packard ScanJet Plus .................................

83
84
84
85
85
86
87
88
89

xvi

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

SECTION III

USING VENTURA

7. Managing Files ........................... 93
Why Pay Attention to Files? .......................................... 95
Underlying Concepts ................................................ 95
Every Document is a Family of Files ............................. 95
The Chapter File ................................................... 96
The Style Sheet File ................................................. 97
INF Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 97
The PUB File ..................................................... 100
Other Files ....................................................... 100
Pros and Cons .................................................... 102
Refresher on DOS ................................................ 102
Creating Directories ......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 103
Paths, Filters, and Wildcards .................................. 104
The Backup Button (DOS/GEM Version) .............................. 107
Hands Off \ TYPESET .............................................. 108
Two Organization Strategies ......................................... 108
Plan I: A File Strategy for Short Documents ............................ 109
Plan II: A File Strategy for Long Documents ............................ 111
Archiving and Transferring Documents ., .............................. 112
Using Multi-Chapter or Manage Publication for Backups ................. 113
Restoring a Chapter from a Floppy to a Hard Disk ...................... 116
File Management Utilities ........................................... 119

8. Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text ....... 121
Creating Text ................................................. ' .... 121
Attributes: Converted and Ignored .................................... 125
Line Endings ..................................................... 126
Beware of Tabs ................................................... 127
Dashes and Quotation Marks ........................................ 127
Embedding Formatting Information ................................... 129
Tags .......................... , ........................... 131
Breaks and Spaces .......................................... 131
Character Attributes ......................................... 132
Special Codes .............................................. 132
Nonkeyboard Characters ..................................... 132
Loading Text ..................................................... 138
Text Destinations .................................................. 139
Text Clipboard ............................................. 139
Text Cursor ................................................ 139
Loading Worksheet Data ............................................ 140
Ventura (older versions) ...................................... 141

Table of Contents

xvii

Using a Worksheet-Conversion Utility ..........................
PRN-to-Table ............................................. ,
Ventura's Text Editor ..............................................
Inserting Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... ,
Inserting Fractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Inserting Page and Chapter Numbers ..........................
Formatting Words within Paragraphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Assignment List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Set Font (DOS/GEM Version) .................................
Set Font Attributes (Windows Version) .........................
Using Attribute Overrides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Editing Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Creating Text within Ventura .......................................
Caption Files ....................................................
Generated Files ..................................................
Questions and Answers ............................................

141
142
142
144
144
145
145
146
146
147
148
149
149
150
151
153

9. Working with Style Sheets ................ 157
Ventura's Sample Style Sheets ...................... : ................
Miscellaneous Sample Style Sheets ............................
Third-Party Style Sheets ............................................
Loading a Style Sheet ..............................................
Tagging .........................................................
Mouse Tagging ............................................
Tagging with the Function Keys ..............................
Tagging with a Word Processor ...............................
Tagging with WordPerfect ......................................... ,
VPDRAFT.STY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VPFINAL.STY ............................... '. . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
TAGTeam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Tagging with Microsoft Word ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Creating a New Tag ...............................................
Naming Tags ....................................................
Deleting a Tag ...................................................
Printing a Style Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Generated Tags ..................................................
Questions and Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

158
158
162
162
163
163
164
166
167
167
168
170
170
173
174
175
177
178
183

10. Formatting Text ........................ 185
Advice for Beginners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
An Inventory of Ventura's Typographic Controls .......................
Padding around Frames ...........................................
Offsets and Indents ...............................................
Tabs ...........................................................
Breaks ..........................................................

185
191
195
195
197
200

xviii

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Simulating Tabs in Justified Text ..................................... 202
Ruling Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 203
Vertical Alignment and Justification ................................... 206
Spacing between Lines and Paragraphs ............................... 208
Interline Spacing ............................................ 208
Spacing between Paragraphs ................................. 209
Spacing between Words '" ......................................... 211
Fixed Spaces .... " ................................................ 211
Figure Space ............................................... 211
Em Space .................................................. 212
En Space .................................................. 212
Thin Space ................................................ 212
Spaces between Letters ............................................. 213
Manual Kerning ............................................ 213
Automatic Kerning ., ........................................ 216
Tracking .................................................. 219
Letter Spacing .............................................. 220
Special Effects .................................................... 222
Bullets .................... .- ............................... 222
Small Caps ................................................. 224
Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... 224

11. Tables ................................ 227
Tabs .................................................. '" ....... 227
Breaks .......................................................... 229
Box Text ......................................................... 229
Ruling Line Below ................................................. 229
The Table Generator ............................................... 231
Adjusting the Size of the Cells ................................. 233

12. Equations ............................. 241
EQN Syntax ...................................................... 242
Entering Symbols .................................................. 245
Method 1: Spelling Out the Greek ............................. 245
Method 2: Using the Symbol Command ......................... 245
Method 3: Symbol Combinations .............................. 246
Special Symbol Commands ................................... 246
Font Changes ..................................................... 247
Italicized Variables and Romanized Functions ........................ .. 247
Quotation Marks .................................................. 251
Diacritical Marks .................................................. 251
How to Build an Equation .......................................... 251

13. Pagination

. . . . . . ..................... . 2:;:;

Headers and Footers ............................................... 256

Table of Contents

xix

Tagging Headers and Footers ..................................... "
Header and Footer Spacing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Footnotes .......................................................
Widows and Orphans .............................................
Automatic Numbering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Frame Anchoring ................................................
Four Kinds of Anchors ......................................
Automatic Text Insertion ......................................... "
Indexing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Step One: Inserting Index Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step Two: Generating the Index ..............................
Step Three: Formatting the Index .............................
No Pain, No Gain ..........................................
Generating a Table of Contents .....................................
Step One: Generating the TOC Text File .......................
Step Two: Formatting the File ................................
Cross Referencing ................................................
Inserting Page and Chapter Numbers ..........................
Cross Referencing with Markers ............................. "
Cross Referencing with Frame Anchors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Variable Text ............................................ "

257
258
259
262
263
266
267
268
270
270
272
272
275
276
276
277
277
277
278
279
280

14. Document Layout Strategies .............. 281
Base-Page Strategy .............................................. "
Newspaper-Style Strategy ..........................................
Free-Form Strategy .............................................. "
Designing Documents " ......................................... "
Universal Procedure ..............................................
Components of the Page ......................................... "
The Grid .................................................
Inside Margin versus Outside Margin ..........................
Margins and Vertical Justification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Active Area ...............................................
Gutters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overview .......................................................
Preliminaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Starting a New Style Sheet .........................................
Establishing the Grid .............................................
Headers and Footers .............................................
Using the Template ...............................................
Ancillary Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Continued On ... , Continued From....................................
Box Text Style Sheet ..............................................
Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

282
282
283
283
285
288
288
290
290
290
291
291
292
293
293
293
294
294
295
297
298
301

xx

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

SECTION IV -

GRAPHICS

15. Using Graphics ......................... 307
Bitmapped Graphics ......................................... 307
Object Graphics ............................................ 308
Comparative Advantages ..................................... 308
Scanning Images ....... '.' ......................................... 310
Loading Graphics ................................................. 313
Types of File Formats ............................................. 313
PCX ...................................................... 314
IMG ...................................................... 314
TIFF ...................................................... 315
CGM ..................................................... 315
HPGL ..................................................... 316
EPS ....................................................... 316
DXF ...................................................... 317
Windows Metafile ........................................... 317
VideoShow ................................................ 317
AutoCAD SLD .............................................. 318
Format Translators ................................................. 318
Cropping, Panning, and Scaling ...................................... 319
Positioning and Sizing the Frame .............................. 321
Positioning and Scaling the Picture ............................. 322
How to Scale a Bitmapped Graphic ............................ 324
Captions ......................................................... 325
Ventura's Drawing Tools ............................................ 327
Changing Graphic Defaults with Save To ........................ 327
Applying Graphic Defaults with Load From ...................... 327
Selecting Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... 328
Graphics and Frames .............................................. 329
Box Text ......................................................... 333
Labeling Graphics ........................................... 334
Creating Tables ................................................... 335
Frames or Box Text? ............................................... 335
Questions ........................................................ 335

16. Graphics Tools ......................... 341
Profile: The PC Paintbmsh Family .................................... 343
A New Generation of Drawing Programs .............................. 344
Tracing ................................................... 346
Fun with Type ............................................. 346
Profile: GEM Artline ............................................... 347
Profile: Corel Draw ................................................ 350

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xxi

Intuitive Drawing ..........................................
Auto-Tracing Scanned Images ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Type Handling ............................................
Jumping to a Shape ........................................
Calligraphic Pen Shapes .....................................
Color Support .............................................
No Speed Demon ..........................................
Import/Export ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The standout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Profile: Micrografx Designer ........................................
Technical Orientation .......................................
Space and Format ..........................................
Powerful Tools ............................................
Profile: Arts & Letters Editor ........................................
A Zillion Images ...........................................
Unique Features ...........................................
Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

350
351
351
351
352
352
352
354
354
355
355
355
356
357
358
359
359

17. Clip Art ............................... 361
Formats ..................................................
Object-Oriented Clip Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Publisher's PicturePak ...................................... ,
ClickArt EPS Illustrations ....................................
Image Club ...............................................
Other Sources for Object-Oriented Art .........................
Bitmapped Clip Art ...............................................
ClickArt Series of Image Portfolios ............................
Desktop Art ...............................................
Metro ImageBase ..........................................
Other Sources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
GEM Draw. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Micrografx Designer ....................................... ,
Hewlett-Packard Graphics Gallery .............................
Arts & Letters ..............................................

362
362
362
363
364
365
366
366
367
368
369
369
369
370
370

18. Encapsulated PostScript ................. 371
Using Ventura Print Files ...........................................
DOS/GEM Version .........................................
Windows Version ..........................................
The EPS Format ................................................. ,
Editing EPS Files Within Ventura ....................................
Removing the PS2.PRE File (DOS/GEM Version only) ...................
PostScript Resources ..............................................
Books ....................................................
Publications ...............................................

372
372
373
373
376
377
377
377
379

xxii

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Electronic Bulletin Boards .................................... 379
Custom PostScript Graphics ................................... 379

19. Screen Snapshots ....................... 381
Choosing a Screen Snapshot Utility ................................... 383
What Displays Do They Support? .............................. 383
Do They Allow Editing of the Image? ........................... 383
What Formats Do They Create? ................................ 384
Can They Capture Windows Screens? ........................... 384
How Extensive Are the Controls over Parameters? ................ 385
What Are the Memory Requirements? ........................... 385
Text Screens ...................................................... 385
Keeping Track of Screen Shots ...................................... 386
Scaling Screen Snapshots ........................................... 387
Profile: Frieze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................ 387
Profile: HotShot Graphics ........................................... 388
Screen Capnlre ............................................. 388
Legal Graffiti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................ 389
More Legal Graffiti ............. . . . . . . . . . . ................... 390
File Conversions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... 390
Hotshot Grab .............................................. 390

SECTION V -

FONTS

20. Using Fonts ............................ 395
Font Terminology .................................................. 397
Bitmap Fonts and Outline Fonts ..................................... 398
Font Storage Locations ............................................. 399
Selecting Fonts in Ventura .......................................... 402
Paragraph Method ......................................... .402
Text Method ............................................... 403
Using Embedded Font Codes ................................. 405
Downloading Fonts ................................................ 405
Downloading LaserJet Fonts (DOS/GEM Version) ................. 405
Downloading PostScript Fonts (DOS/GEM Version) .............. .408
Draft and Ultimate Printing .......................................... 408

21. Adding New Fonts ...................... 411
Step One: Buy the Fonts ........................................... .413
Building Your Personal Font Library ........................... .413
Sources for PostScript Fonts ................................. .417
Sources of LaserJet Fonts .................................... .419

Table of Contents

xxiii

Other Non-PostScript Printers ................................
Set Two: Run the Font Installation Program ...........................
Step Three: Generate Bitmapped Fonts from Master Outlines .............
Step Four: Convert the Fonts to Your Printer's Format, If Necessary ........
Step Five: Generate WID Files, If Necessary .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step Six: Generate Screen Fonts (DOS/GEM Version) ...................
Step Seven: Copy Printer Files to the Correct Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step Eight: Copy Screen Fonts to the \ VENTURA Directory ..............
Step Nine: Copy and Merge the WID Files ............................
Example One: Generating and Installing a Fontware Font. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing Fontware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Making the Fonts ..........................................
Installing the Fonts into Ventura ..............................
Adding Screen Fonts ........................................
Example Two: Installing a laserJet Font ..............................

419
420
420
422
423
424
429
429
430
430
430
431
432
433
436

22. Font Tools ............................. 439
Profile:
Profile:
Profile:
Profile:
Profile:
Profile:

ATM (Adobe Type Manager) .................................
Bitstream Facelift ..........................................
Micrologic MoreFonts ......................................
Atech's Publisher's PowerPak ................................
SuperPrint ................................................
Fontware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Storage Requirements .......................................
Character Set or Symbol Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fontware for the LaserJet III ..................................
Profile: SoftCraft's Fontware ........................................
Storage Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Profile: Type Director .............................................
Profile: MoreFonts ................................................
Profile: Z-Soft SoftType .. , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Profile: Publisher's Type Foundry ...................................
Switch-hitting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Windows Interface .........................................
Editing Tools .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Technicalities ..............................................
Special Effects ...................................................
Draw Programs ..................................................
Black Turning Gray Over You ................................
Profile: fontART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Profile: Font Effects ................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Profile: laserMaster Special Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Profile: WYSIfonts! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Profile: FontSpace ................................................

441
443
445
446
447
450
450
451
451
452
452
453

455
455
455
456
458
459
459
460
460
461
462
462
462
463
467
468
470

xxiv

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

SECTIONVI

SPECIAL TOPICS

23. Speed Tips ............................. 475
Disk Caching .................................................... 475
PrintCache ............................ : .......................... 479
Downloading Fonts ................................................ 480
Consolidating Your Hard Disk ..................................... .480
Avoiding Spill Files ................................................ 481
Parallel Printer Interface ............................................ 482
Faster Screen Fonts ................................................ 482
Speeding up the Display with the /F Switch ........................... .483
Greeking Text .................................................... 484
Selecting a Fast Double-Click Speed ................................. .485
Tagging in Text Editing Mode (Windows Version) ....................... 485
Multiple-Paragraph Tagging ........................................ .485
Move the Toolbox (Windows Version) ................................ 485
Use the AIt Key Shortcuts (Windows Version) .......................... 486
Use the Macro Recorder (Windows Version) ........................... 486
Avoiding On-Screen Kerning ........................................ 487
Keyboard Shortcuts ................................................ 487
Ctrl-X ........................................................... 488
The Backup Box (DOS/GEM Version) ............................... .488
Mouse Tips ...................................................... 489
Pretagging Text .................................................. 489
Using the Esc Key to Clear Lines (DOS/GEM Version) ................... .489
Hiding Pictures ................................................... 489
Using the Shift Key ............................................... 490
Storing Graphic Defaults ........................................... .490
Faster Hyphenation ................................................ 490
Math Coprocessor? ............................................... .491
Loading a Chapter with the Program ................................ .491
Pre-loading the PostScript Prolog .................................... .492

24. Safety Tips ............................. 493
Backing Up ....................................................... 493
Renaming Style Sheets ............................................. 494
Renaming Text Files ............................................... 494
Saving .................................................. , .... , ... 494
Using Abandon ................................................... 495
Creating Separate Directories ........................................ 495
Backing up to Floppies or Tape ..................................... .496
Limiting Chapter Size .............................................. 496
Saving Old Width Tables .......................................... .496

Table of Contents

:xxv

Organizing Font Files ............................................. 497
Responding to the "Internal System Error!" Message .................... 497

25. Printing Tips ........................... 499
Imagesetter Proofing ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Printer Intensity Control ...........................................
The Collating Trap ....... : ........................................
Crop Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Registration Marks .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Decreasing the Size of Print Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Penny Saved ..................................................
Can You Tmst Those Cheap Toner Refills? ............................
Profile: PrintCache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Torqing PostScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How to Print Full-Page Graphics on a 512K LaserJet ....................
Speeding up Printing By Hiding Graphics .............................
What Kind of Paper to Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Speeding up Printing By Downloading the Postscript Prologue ...........
Printing on Unsupported Printers ........ '.' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saving Before Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wait for the Prompt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printing Oversized Pages on a Standard Laser Printer ...................
Printing Mirror-Image (Wrong-Reading) Pages .........................
Printing Crop Marks on Standard-Sized Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

500
500
501
502
502
503
504
504
505
505
506
507
507
508
508
508
508
509
510
511

26. Memory Limitations and Solutions ........ 513
Overview .......................................................
Overhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How Ventura Uses Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Diagnostics Box ............ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
"Internal Memory in Use" ....................................
"External Memory in Use" ...................................
"EMS Memory in Use" .......................................
"Text Memory in Use" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
"Paragraphs in Use" ........................................
"Line Elements in Use" ......................................
"Ext Memory Swapped Out" .................................
"Text Memory Swapped Out" ................................
"Width Table Size" .........................................
"Graphics Buffer Size" ......................................
"Screen Fonts Size" ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
"Hyphenation Size" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
"Perm. Strings Size" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
"FARCODE Overlay Size" ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Memory Management Options .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

514
514
517
517
517
517
518
518
518
518
519
519
519
519
520
520
520
520
520

xxvi

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Extended and Expanded Memory .............................. 521
Using a RAM Disk ................... , ....................... 523
Disk Caching ............................................... 523
Adjusting Buffers in CONFIG.SYS ............................ .525
Disabling FASTOPEN ........................................ 525
Adjusting the Screen Fonts Buffer .............................. 525
Adjusting the Graphics Buffer ................................. 526
Memory Magic with HIMEM.syS (286 and 386 Computers Only) .... 527
More Memory Magic: 386MAX ................................ 529
What Are the Limits? ............................................... 531

27. Utilities ............................... 533
Profile: XVP/Tabs ................................................ 534
Profile: DataTAG ................................................. 536
Profile: XVP/Base ................................................. 537
Profile: WP2VP ................................................... 537
Profile: TAGteam ................................................. 539
Additional PostScript Support ....................................... 540
Profile: VP/Saddle ................................................ 540
Two-Up ................................................... 541
Enlarged Format ............................................ 541
File/Style Management ............................................ 541
Profile: VP Manager ............................................... 541
Chapter Description and History .............................. 542
Do you need it? ............................................ 542
Profile: VPMover .................................................. 544
Profile: MouseWare ................................................ 546
The Other Button ........................................... 546
Profile: VP to the Max .............................................. 547

28. Label Sheets .............. ............. 549
Overview ........................................................ 550
Preparing the Text File ............................................. 551
Formatting in Ventura .............................................. 554

29. Printing Envelopes ..................... 559
Procedure ........................................................ 561
The Destination Address Window .............................. 561
The Renlrn Address Window .................................. 562
Testing Positions ............................................ 562
Making the Return Address Repeat .............................. 563
Formatting the Destination Address ............................ 563
Saving the Style Sheet and the Chapter ......................... 563
Printing Multiple Envelopes ............................. ............ 564

xxvii

Table of Contents

~(). ~()()Cl()() 1r~c:~

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

:;()~

Crashing ................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Some Appeals are Granted ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Watch Out for the Pause Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Post-Crash Hard Disk Cleanup ......................................
Those Disappearing Screen Fonts (DOS/GEM Version) ..................
Backup Files .....................................................
Redrawing the Screen with Esc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
A Totally Scrambled Screen ........................................
Delete Key Won't Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Shift-Ctr! ........................................................
Disappearing Formats ................................... . . . . . . . . . .
Fixing an Isolated Paragraph Mark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Things that Go Beep in the Night. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Problems Changing Text Attributes ..................................
Create a Null Paragraph Before Inserting Text .........................
Moving Large Blocks of Text Within a Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Amaze Your Friends by Customizing Ventura's Menus! ..................

~1.

Using ~entura With()ut a M()use ...........

:;~:;

Windows Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
General Operations (DOS/GEM Version) .............................
Special Techniques (DOS/GEM Version) ..............................
Editing VP.BAT (DOS/GEM Version) .................................

SECTION VII -

567
569
569
569
570
570
570
571
571
571
571
572
572
572
573
573
573

575
577
577
578

APPENDICES

A. Res()urc:es ............................. .:;81
Clip Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
LaserJet Fonts ....................................................
PostScript Fonts ........... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Font Tools ......................................................
Graphics Software ................................................
Monitors .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LaserJet-Compatible Printers ........................................
PostScript Printers (300 dpi) ................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PostScript Printers and Typesetters (Above 300 dpi) ....................
Other Printers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Printer Controllers ......................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scanners ........................................................
Utilities .........................................................

582
587
591
591
596
601
604
606
608
610
611
613
614

xxviii

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

User Groups ...................................................... 624
Bulletin Boards ................................................. .. 630
Newsletters and Magazines ......................................... 631
Style Sheets .................................................... .. 632
Training ......................................................... 633
PostScript Service Bureaus .......................................... 633
Other Resources .................................................. 641

B. GrapWcs Program Compatibility ........... 643
CGM ............................................................ 644
DXF ............................................................ 645
HPGL ........................................................... 645
VideoShow ....................................................... 649

C. Glossary ............................... 651
Index .................................... 663

Introduction
I first saw Xerox Ventura Publisher in the spring of 1986, when
Ventura Software president John Meyer and head programmer
Don Heiskell visited the PC World offices in San Francisco to
show off a fledgling version of the program. At that time the
agreement between Ventura Software and Xerox Corporation to
market Ventura Publisher did not yet exist. Ventura Software was
still just an unknown startup with a whistle and a song, one of a
crowd of small companies claiming to do something new and
different with words, pictures, and laser printers.
As Meyer and Heiskell set up their XT-compatible computer in PC
World's glass-walled demonstration room, I reflected on the irony
that two years earlier this same room had been rigged up with
peek-proof curtains to sequester a prototype of the Macintosh
computer while a small team of PC World staffers worked in
secret to create the first issue of Macworld magazine. For the first
year of its existence, the Macintosh had been widely ridiculed as
a $2500 Etch-A-Sketch, a fun machine to play around with but
hopelessly devoid of any useful software.
Now that little machine was showing it could throw fast balls too.
With the introduction of its LaserWriter printer and the advent of
a new generation of slick page makeup software, Apple was
opening up a vast new market, dubbed desktop publishing by its
enthusiasts, or CAP (computer-aided publishing) by the more
acronymically minded. As yet, nothing existed on the PC-compatible side of the industry to rival the Macintosh/LaserWriter

2

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

combination, a situation that was causing no small degree of consternation in places like PC World.
With various editors and production managers clustered around a
long table in PC World's demonstration room, Meyer started up
Ventura and immediately went into a blistering tour. While the
staff looked on, increasingly absorbed, he set up a document in
multiple columns, added pictures, and demonstrated the use of
Ventura's style sheet method of formatting.
I wasn't sure which was more astonishing, the speed of the program or the number of features that Meyer was showing. Compared to other PC programs then on the market that purported to
provide desktop publishing capabilities ... well, there just was no
comparison.
Expressing the general sentiment in the room, someone jested,
"You got a Macintosh hidden in that computer?" Meyer only
smiled, but the response was implied: That's obviously not possible - this program's way too fast.
But it wasn't a comparison against the Macintosh that Meyer
seemed to be interested in stressing, it was between two levels of
PCs. "I want to emphasize," he said, "that the speed you're seeing
isn't the result of us using a souped-up computer. We're purposely
showing the program on an XT-compatible rather than an ATcompatible. "
Abruptly, the 4emonstration halted with an unexpected program
crash. For a moment, even the garrulous Meyer seemed at a loss
for words, but Heiskell actually seemed to take a sort of perverse
satisfaction in the blowout. He flashed a laid-back smile, leaned
forward, and jotted a few notes on a legal pad. "That's the one I
was trying to get on Sunday," he remarked, grinning.
At the time of the Ventura demonstration, I had just finished typesetting the book Laserjet Unlimited the old-fashioned way, that is,
using Microsoft Word. With the version of Word that existed at
that time, you could easily incorporate various laser printer fonts

Introduction

3

in a document and format the appearance of text using flexible
style sheets. However, when it came to adding illustrations to a
document, you had no alternative to the light table and the xACTO knife. Facing the prospect of repeating the manual pasteup
ordeal with my next book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on
Ventura .

•:.

So What's It For?
To make a long story short, I did get my hands on Ventura, I
experimented with it, and I confirmed that it was indeed as good
a tool as I had hoped. The book you're holding is physical evidence that Ventura is ideally suited for long documents such as
books, and also manuals, long reports, and other hefty publications.
But what about shorter documents like newsletters? Again, I can
only refer to my own personal experience, which is that the longer I've used Ventura, the more I've found myself leaning on it for
all kinds of jobs: designing flyers, running off each week's invoice
forms, typesetting poetry, designing business cards, making
phone logs - you name it.

+

AboutThisBook
Now in its third edition, this book is a product of discoveries
made by myself and others during our explorations into Ventura.

If you're new to Ventura, my advice is to first install the program
on your computer and then read Chapter 2, "How Ventura
Works," which explains the basic concepts behind Ventura. If
you're already experienced with Ventura, you can simply browse
through the book, exploring those topics that interest you most.
The book is organized into seven parts. Section I, "Orientation,"
covers the features of Ventura and also explains the basic concepts underlying the program.

4

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Section II, "Hardware," discusses the three main elements that
make up a publishing system: computer, printer, and monitor,
plus an increasingly popular fourth element, the digital scanner.
Section III, "Using Ventura," begins with the critical topic of
managing files on your hard disk, then explains the various stages
of assembling and formatting a Ventura document.
Section IV, "Graphics" examines some of the important new
graphics tools that can be used in conjunction with Ventura, explains Ventura's own graphics features, and covers several special
topics: clip art, Encapsulated PostScript, and screen snapshots.
Section V, "Fonts," tells how to install new fonts into Ventura and
provides background information on a variety of useful thirdparty tools that enable you to generate, enhance, and edit your
screen and printer fonts.
Section VI, "Special Topics," is a miscellany of information that
hopefully will be of use as you attempt to "push the envelope"
with Ventura: speeding up your work, enhancing your printer
output, overcoming memOlY limitations, evaluating third-party
utilities, printing envelopes and label sheets, using Ventura
without a mouse, and overcoming some of Ventura's glitches and
rough spots.
Finally, the book contains three appendices. The first is an extensive survey of the variety of third-party resources that have
gravitated around Ventura as it has risen to become the leading
publishing program available today. Second is a listing of graphics
software compatible with Ventura. Third is a glossary of typographic terms and Ventura jargon.
As you make your own Ventura discoveries, I hope you'll take the
time to share them with me and/or with the Ventura Publisher
User's Group, whose phone number is provided below. Please let
me know what you think ought to be added to the book, where
the explanations went astray, entries that shoplq have been in-

5

Introduction

cluded in the index - whatever. The more detailed, the more
downright picky your critiques, the better!
Also, if you have bought this book from a bookstore or a dealer
rather than directly from Peachpit Press, take a moment to send
us your name and address so we can drop you a line when the
next edition comes out. Dealers of Ventura Publisher and Ventura
trainers are especially encouraged to contact Peachpit Press about
promotions and quantity discounts .

• Getting Help
If you have complaints about Ventura Publisher, the person to
send them to is Larry Gerhard, President, Ventura Software Inc.,
15175 Innovation Drive, San Diego, California 92128. Although
Ventura Software is a subsidiary of Xerox, it has a good deal of
autonomy which allows it to be more responsive to user needs.
The phone number of Larry and crew at Ventura Software is
619/673-0172. To get technical assistance from Ventura, you have
several options. First, anyone who upgrades to version 3.0 can
have 60 days of free support from the time they receive their
upgrade. A second option is to pay $150 for an annual support
contract, which gives you unlimited calling privileges to an 800
number, a subscription to Ventura Professional! magazine, a $50
discount coupon for training classes, and a 1 percent discount
on your next upgrade. A third option is a corporate group support
plan, which provides a variety of benefits and costs $1,000 per
year. Finally, if you'd rather pay by the call, you can dial 900/8968880, and pay $15 for a SUppOlt call of any length. For more
information on Ventura's SUppOlt plans, call 800/822-8221 in the
U.S. or 800/228-8579 in Canada.

°

Other sources of help are your local user group (see Appendix A
for listings) and Ventura Professional! magazine (408/227-5030).
Good luck!
Ted Nace
Berkeley, California

SECTION

ONE

Orientation

Which Ventura
Is Right/or You?
Make new friends but keep the old,
One is silver and the other gold.
Greetings, fellow monitor lizards! Ventura Publisher, which began
strictly as a DOS program, is now running on four platforms:
DOS, Windows, OS/2, and Macintosh. This book covers Ventura
Publisher Gold Series: DOS/GEM Edition and Windows Edition.
Users of the OS/2 and Macintosh versions of the program may
also find the book helpful, but those editions are not explicitly
discussed.
For both new and experienced Ventura users, the two questions
most frequently asked are (1) What's new about the Gold Series?
and (2) Should I use the DOS/GEM version or the Windows version? The purpose of this chapter is to answer those two questions.

10
.:.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

What's New About the Gold Series?
Basically, the Gold Series offers the same features as Ventura 2.0,
which was introduced in 1988. Yes, there are some minor improvements (see below), but in general, instead of adding new
features, the programming team put their energy into creating
Windows and OS/2 versions of the program that matched the
existing DOS/GEM version. Meanwhile, a separate programming
team prepared the Macintosh version.
Although Ventura's decision to move the program to new platforms rather than upgrade was probably logical, it doesn't do
much for the people who have been using version 2.0 and have
been wishing for some new capabilities. So, to make the product
more attractive, Ventura Software decided to include the Professional Extension and the Network Server modules in the regular
package at no extra cost.
That's a pretty good deal, because the Professional Extension has
five powerful features: table generation, equation generation,
cross-referencing, vertical justification, and EMS support. The EMS
support is a great boon, because being able to work with EMS
solves many of the crashes and tight memory problems that used
to plague Ventura. The table generation feature is also fantastic basically the equivalent of a separate forms generation package .

• Minor Improvements
As for improvements in the DOS/GEM version of the program,
these are all fairly minor. Numerous bugs have reportedly been
fixed, though no list of such fixes has been released. Other improvements include support for longer footnotes that can flow
from page to page, improvement in the HPGL graphics import
capability (note: HPGL stands for Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language, a format used by AutoCAD and other CAD programs),
better importing of Mac Pict II graphics and Microsoft Word 5.0
text files, and support for LaserJet lID duplex printing.

Chapter 1: Which Ventura Is Right for You?

11

• Conclusion
If you already had the Ventura 2.0 (base version), upgrading to
the Gold Series is definitely worthwhile because of all the new
Professional Extension features you'll now be able to use. If you
were already using the Professional Extension, the upgrade is of
minor benefit but probably worth doing anyway, if only for the
bug fixes .

•:.

Should I Buy the DOS/GEM Version or the
Windows Version?
This is the most commonly asked question. Windows 3 has
achieved instant popularity for good reason: in addition to offering an attractive, Mac-like user interface, it also makes switching
back and forth between different programs as easy as pressing
Alt-Tab. For the latter reason alone, it would at first glance seem
obvious that you would be better off switching to the Windows
version of Ventura. Actually, however, the decision is somewhat
complicated because the Windows and DOS/GEM versions both
have certain advantages and disadvantages .

• Features Comparison
For the most part, the Windows version provides the same features as the DOS/GEM version. In a few areas, however, there are
differences:

. Keyboard Shortcuts. In keeping with the standard
protocol for Windows applications, menus can be accessed
by pressing the Alt key, which takes you to the menu line,
and then pressing one or more keystrokes. This gives you
an alternative to using the mouse, but whether it is faster or
slower depends on your style of working.
· Macro Recorder. One of the accessories that comes with
Windows 3 is the Macro Recorder. You can use this utility to

12

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

save sequences of keystrokes, allowing you to access frequently used commands more quickly.

· Help Screens. In the DOS/GEM version, you can get a brief
explanation of any dialog box by pressing the small question mark box in the upper right corner of the dialog box. In
the Windows version, the help facility is a good deal more
detailed and complete, but it is also somewhat more difficult
to access.
· Ruling Lines. In the Windows version, Ventura provides a
number of pre-cooked options for ruling lines. In the DOS/
GEM version, you can create the same SOlts of ruling lines,
but it takes a bit more work.
. Tagging. Here's one of the nicest features of the Windows
version. You can assign any tag to any paragraph right from
text editing mode - no need to switch to tagging mode
first. In the DOS/GEM version, you can also assign tags from
text editing mode, but only for the ten tags that you have
previously assigned to function keys.
. Cutting and Pasting Tags. With the Windows version, you
can copy a tag from one style sheet and paste it into a different style sheet. This is only possible in the DOS/GEM version if you buy a third-party utility such as VPToolbox .

• Monitors
By now, most vendors of large-screen monitors have made drivers
available for Windows 3. In some cases, however, a driver doesn't
exist and may never be written. If you have such a monitor, you
may be prevented from using Windows altogether or else may
have to use Windows with the monitor running in EGA or VGA
emulation mode. Check with your monitor vendor before switching to Windows Ventura .

• Printing
Some of the Windows 3 printing drivers are still painfully slow,
especially the PostScript driver. The problem is conlpounded by

Chapter 1: Which Ventura Is Right/or You?

13

the fact that if you use one of your old width tables from the
DOS/GEM version, Ventura assumes that any fonts you use in a
chapter must be downloaded each time, and you can't selectively
turn font downloading on and off for particular fonts. There are
third-party printing utilities that provide better performance than
the Windows driver, of course, and eventually Microsoft and/or
the printer vendors can be expected to correct the problem. Until
then, however, printing from the Windows version will be slower
than with the DOS/GEM version.

• Scalable Screen Fonts
Here's an area where the Windows version of Ventura has an
advantage over the DOS/GEM version. As described in Chapter
22, "Font Tools," several utilities are now available for Windows,
including ATM from Adobe and FaceLift from Bitstream, that can
create screen fonts at any size on the fly from your PostScript or
Bitstream printer font outlines. This brings Ventura much closer to
the ideal of What You See Is What You Get and also removes the
need to store large numbers of space-gobbling bitmapped screen
fonts on your hard disk. With the DOS/GEM version, scalable
screen fonts are only available for the LaserMaster GlassPage
monitor.

• Organization of Commands
Although anyone who has used the DOS/GEM version for awhile
can usually find any menu selection without breaking stride,
there's no denying that the organization of the menus is slightly
idiosyncratic. For instance, why is Remove Text/File found under
the Edit menu rather than under the File menu? Why is Set Printer
Info (which lets you choose your printer and width table) located
under the Options menu rather than next to the Print command
under the File menu?
In the Windows version, the organization of the menus is more
logical. Also, the lists of files and tags are contained in small
windows that you can drag to a convenient location on the screen

14

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

and adjust to any size you want. That's a more flexible setup than
the one used by the DOS/GEM version. Whether it provides a
significant speed advantage, however, is doubtful. But for beginners, the Windows version should be a bit less confusing.

• Importing Text
One of the best things about Ventura has always been that it could
import text and graphics from virtually any program. Currently,
however, the Windows version does not provide an import filter
for any Windows-based word processing program. To get around
this limitation, you'll have to remember to save your Word for
Windows text files in a format such as ASCII or DOS Word.

• No Undo
Standard in almost every Windows application is an Undo command. Unfortunately, it's not present in Windows Ventura - a
serious omission that will hopefully be corrected soon.

• Multiple Clipboards
In the DOS/GEM version, there are actually three clipboards, one
for frames, one for box text, and one for regular text. This means
that you can save a block of text and also a frame containing a
graphic from one chapter, then open up another chapter and
paste in both the block of text and the frame. In the Windows
version there is only a single clipboard. This makes the Windows
version slightly less convenient from a cut-and-paste perspective.
But as noted above, the Windows version has a very useful cutand-paste feature not found in the DOS/GEM version: being able
to cut and paste tags from one style sheet to another.

• Working with Multiple Chapters
The Windows version would have a great advantage over the
DOS/GEM version if you could have two chapters open at the
same time in adjacent windows. That would allow easy cutting

Chapter 1: Which Ventura Is Right for You?

15

and pasting of text, frames, box text, and tags. Unfortunately, you
can only have one chapter open at a time with the Windows
version, and you cannot run multiple sessions of the program
itself concurrently. (You can, however, run Windows Ventura and
DOS/GEM Ventura concurrently and switch back and forth with
Alt-Tab, though doing so is of limited value.)

• Speed
Provided you use a disk caching utility (see Chapter 23 for
details), the DOS/GEM version is faster than the Windows version. But the speed of Ventura itself isn't the real issue: what you
need to consider is the overall speed of your computer work. If
you work exclusively with Ventura and not with any other
programs, the DOS/GEM version may be a better choice from a
speed perspective. But if you frequently go in and out of Ventura
to use your word processor, to perform tasks in DOS, to log onto
CompuServe or MCI Mail, or to use other programs, you may
really fall in love with the ability of Windows to let you jump from
one program to another with a simple Alt-Tab.
One way to get the best of both worlds - the speed of the
DOS/GEM version and the convenient task switching of Windows
3 - is to run the DOS/GEM version of Ventura from within Windows. That's what I currently do, and that's what I plan on doing
at least until a new version of Windows Ventura is released with
fewer bugs.

• PostScript Printing
For those with PostScript printers, the availability of scalable
screen fonts via Adobe's ATM for Windows is a powerful inducement to use the Windows version. However, for printing to PostScript, the Windows version has two drawbacks. One is that the
driver is ridiculously slow. The other is that the PostScript preamble (PS2.PRE), which many Ventura users have edited to create
special effects such as rotated and outline type, is replaced by the
Windows PostScript driver, which is not easy to access.

16

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• Buginess
Because it's been in existence in almost exactly the same form for
over two years, the GEM/DOS version has had time to be thoroughly debugged. It's still possible to make the program crash,
but it's not easy.
Like any new program, the first release of the Windows version
still has some bugs, many of which are probably caused by Windows itself. By the time you read this, most of those initial bugs
will hopefully be fixed, so check with your dealer or Ventura
Software to see if the version you are considering has a number
later than 3.0. Generally, a number such as 3.01 or 3.02 will indicate a bug-fix release. In fact, as this book was going to press, the
first free fix-it patch was already being released. To receive your
copy of the latest patch, call Ventura Software customer support at
800/822-8221 and ask for "the latest Ventura Windows patch." Or
you can download the patch from the Ventura bulletin board on
CompuServe.

• Computer
Although more and more people are migrating to 80386 computers, one of the nicest things about the DOS/GEM version of
Ventura has always been that it didn't require an expensive computer. Any XT (8086 chip) or AT (80286 chip) with 640K and a
hard disk will work fine. Although Microsoft says that Windows 3
will run on an AT computer, you really do need an 80386 with at
least 2MB and preferably more RAM to get decent performance.
So if you're one of the millions of people using an XT or AT, you'll
definitely want to stick with the DOS/GEM version.

• Running the DOS/GEM Version from Windows
For those with 80386 computers, Windows 3 is an irresistable
piece of software. Once you've installed it on your computer, you
can continue to run your familiar DOS programs like WordPerfect,
Word, dBASE, and Lotus, while selectively sampling some of the

Chapter 1: Which Ventura Is Right for You?

17

new generation of Windows software such as Corel Draw, Excel,
Ami, and Persuasion. As for Ventura, my advice is to stay with the
DOS/GEM version but to run it from Windows. That way you can
have the best of both worlds. Eventually, when the Windows
version is sufficiently debugged and has all the necessary drivers
in place, you can switch to that version.
Here's how to set up the DOS/GEM version to run from Windows:
• If you haven't installed Ventura to run from DOS, do so.
• If you haven't installed Windows 3, do so.
• Copy the VENTURA.PIF file from the utility disk to the Ventura directory.
• (Optional) If you don't already have a program group called
Non-Windows Applications or DOS Programs, create one by
selecting New from the File menu.
o

o

o

o

Open the window for the program group in which you
want the icon for DOS/GEM Ventura to appear. Select new
from the File menu then select Program Item.
In the Description box, type DOS Ventura (or whatever you
want to call it).
Select Browse.
In the Browse dialog box, change the extension in the
Filename from *.exe to *. pif.

• From the Directory List, select the drive containing Ventura.
Usually this will be C.
o

o

VP .PIF or VPPROF.PIF should now appear in the File List.
Select the one you want to use.
Select OK or press Enter.

Now you can run Ventura directly from the Program Manager.

How Ventura

Works"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler."

So said Albert Einstein in reference to physics, but the observation
applies equally well to software. While learning Ventura does take
effort, there's no getting around the fact that preparing documents
is an inherently complex task.
Mastering Ventura requires hands-on practice creating documents;
however, it may also help to review some of the concepts that the
program is based on.

20

Mode Icons, also
called functIon
boxes. From left to
right they are FramIng, Tagging, Text
EditIng, Graphic
DrawIng, and Table
EditIng.

Current SelectIon
Box. In frame
mode It tel/s
what file you
usIng. In taggIng
mode what tag;
In text mode It
tells If the cursor
Is on a text attrIbute; In
graphIcs mode It
tel/s what kind of
graphic Is
selected; In Table
mode It tells you
what rows and
columns are
selected.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Path and name of
the current chapter
(selected from the
File menu).

Full Box. It makes the screen full sIze agaIn
after you shrInk It wIth the resIze box; not
used unless you accIdentally shrInk the
screen.

Ruler. It can be turned off
by selecting HIde Rulers
from the Options menu.
The measurement units
can be changed usIng
the Set Ruler option of the
OptIons menu.

Current Page Box.

Scroll Bar. Use
It when you
want tojump
down the
page.

Scrolling Arrow.
Use It when you
want to move
down one line at
a tIme.

Figure 2-1a: The parts o/the Ventura screen (DOS/GEM version).

21

Chapter 2: How Ventura Works

AddItIon Button. In frame or graphIcs mode It must be selected before
you draw a new frame. In taggIng mode It must be selected to create
a new tag. In text mode It reads Set Font and must be selected to
change the attrIbutes of a sIngle letter, word, or phrase. In table mode
It must be selected before you add a new table.

Menu LIne.

AssIgnment LIst. In
frame mode It lists
text and graphIcs
flies contaIned In
a document. In
taggIng mode It
lists tags. In text
mode It lists formattIng styles such as
bold and Italic. In
graphIcs mode It Is
replaced by the
drawIng tools. In
table mode It Is
replaced by the
table-edItIng functions.

, • • • • • • • • • • • 60 • • • • 60 . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I

~

i
~

:
:

~

"

, ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ,

I

~

1

::
::

:
:

1

~~
~~

~
~

11

i

1

11

1

1

~~

1

i

11

1

~

~~

, ...............................:

~

I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .'

Frame Handles (they IndIcate whIch frame Is currently active).

Figure 2-1b: The parts of the Ventura screen (DOS/GEM version).

Resize Button (a relic of
GEM: not normally used).

22

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Control Menu Box. It
lets you change the
sIze of Ventura's wIndow, close Ventura
(some as selecting
Exit from the File
menu), or swItch to
the WIndows Task LIst.

TItle Bar. It tells the
nome and path of
the currect chapter
and style sheet.
Style sheet currently loaded
(selected from the File menu).

\

/

~~

c:\tyJleseI\UNTITL FO.CHP (&ROOK-Pl.STY)

1

Toolbox. The top line shows the
selection arrow plus Ventura's five
modes of operation. The bottom
line shows the five basIc drawIng
tools.

File List. It shows what text and
graphics flies are Included In a document.

Tog LIst. It shows the
togs In the current style
sheet.
4_

I

/

Current Page Box.

...... 1

L Page 1

I

I

Scroll Bar. Use It
when you want
to scroll quIckly.

Figure 2-1c: The parts o/the Ventura screen (Windows version).

/
Scrolling Arrow.
Use It when you
wont to scroll
more slowly.

23

Chapter 2: How Ventura Works

Menu Line. You can access
each set of commands either
by clicking on them with the
mouse or by press Alt and
then the first letter of the
menu name.

Minimize and maximize buttons enlarge
Ventura to fill the whole display or else
shrink It down Into an Icon.

c:\\ypeset\UN III LI:U.CHP 1&I:JOOK-Pl.STYJ

,.........................................

. .......... .

- - - - - - Column guides .

....

5

•

/

Ruler. It can be
turned on or off
from the View
menu.

10

,.............

Frame Handles.
They tell you
which frame Is
active.

.....

/

Current Selection Indicator. It tells you what
text or graphics file Is In
the active frame.

Figure 2-1d: The parts of the Ventura screen (Windows version).

/

Windows Corner. These are
located at all four corners
of the current window and
can be used to resize the
window.

24
.:.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

What Can Ventura Do?
Before we get into exploring the workings of Ventura, let's take a
brief inventory of what the program actually lets you accomplish.
• It lets you merge text and graphics files created by other
programs into a single document. Graphics can be scaled
and stretched. Text blocks automatically reformat to flow
around inserted graphics.
• It gives you full typographic control over the appearance of

text, including hyphenation, kerning, tracking, space band
control (i.e., spacing between words), letter spacing (spacing within words), and leading (spacing between lines). It
also provides a variety of controls over boxes and ruling
lines.
• It provides batch pagination features such as automatic

page, figure, and section numbering, index and table of contents generation, and chaining of multiple chapters at print
time.
• It provides a simple text editor that allows insertion and deletion as well as block moves. Any changes you make in
text are reflected back to the original files.
• It provides an internal graphics program that allows you to
generate lines and arrows, empty or shaded rectangles, and
empty or shaded ellipses.

• Results of formatting, including actual typefaces and line
breaks, are shown on the screen. Most monitors that work
with the IBM PC are supported by the program, including
large-screen, high-resolution displays.
• Output options include dot matrix and color inkjet printers,
laser printers, and PostScript-compatible typesetters .

•:.

Some History
So far so good. We've noted what Ventura can do. But we still
haven't established just what Ventura is. According to which mag-

Chapter 2: How Ventura Works

25

azine article you read, it has been variously described as a "super
word processor," a "WYSIWYG batch-pagination program," and
as a "page makeup" or "page layout" program. All these terms are
more or less accurate, but they also apply to any number of other
programs on the market. So why is Ventura, among all these other
products, a runaway bestseller?
To really understand the significance of Ventura, we need to look
at the history of computer-based publishing. From the first use of
computers for creating documents, a gap existed between two
types of systems. One type was systems that provided a whatyou-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) view of the final page and
allowed you to "paste up" text and graphics on-screen. This approach, which might best be described by the term "page makeup" (since the user created a document one page at a time), had
its roots in the computer-aided design (CAD) and computer
graphics technology that moved from experimental to commercial
during the 1960's. It came into use in the publishing industry in
the 1970's, when it was adapted for onscreen layouts of display
advertisements.
Meanwhile, other systems were being developed that used a nonWYSIWYG, code-based approach. With these programs, documents were created in two stages. First, the user embedded typographic and pagination codes (and macros representing sets of
codes) in the text of a document. Then the program processed the
codes all at once, automatically generating pages with the proper
headers, footers, page numbers, and so forth. The advantage of
this approach was that the user didn't have to create pages one at
a time; the disadvantage was that these systems didn't provide the
interactive visual feedback provided by page makeup programs.
Only when the document was printed could the final result be
proofed.
Before Ventura, many experts assumed that the page makeup and
the batch approaches were irreconcilable. And indeed, as publishing systems were introduced for personal computers, they typically fell into one or the other camp. Some of the early Macintosh

26

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Most of the functions In the Edit menu are only
available when you are In Text mode. The exception Is a pair of commands for removing
text and pictures from a page or renaming
text flies.

The Desk menu Is not
used for any purpose except to list
the names of the
Ventura development team and to
hide an obscure
status report
(described In Chapter 20).

The options In the Chapter menu can be applied no matter what
mode you are currently
In. This menu mainly provides functions that
apply to the document
as a whole.

The Graphic menu's operations are
available when the Graphics Icon Is
selected. They control the appearance of graphics you have
drawn with tools from Ventura's
graphIcs palette. To change the /lne
and fill attrIbutes of a graphic element such as a line or a box, you
must first draw and then select that
element.

\

\
Desk

The functions of the Paragraph menu are only
available In TaggIng mode when a particular
paragraph has been selected. This menu Is used
to control the typographic settings stored In
each tag.

File

Edit

View

I
The File menu Is used for
bringing text and pictures
into Ventura documents,
for loading or savIng documents that you have already begun working on
(called Chapters), and for
loading and saving style
sheets.

No matter what mode you are
In, the View menu can be used
to zoom In or out. It also provides
an alternative way to switch
among Ventura's four modes.

Chapter

Fra~e

Paragraph

Graphic

Options

I

The functions In the Frame menu are only available
when the Frame or Graphics Icon Is selected. They are
applied to the currently active frame: either to the base
page (whIch Itself Is a frame) or one of the additional
frames you have drawn on the page. Among the settings controlled through this menu are the number of
columns of text In a frame, the scaling and cropping of
graphics Imported Into frames, the amount of padding
surrounding a frame, the background shade of the
frame, and the placement of vertical rules In a frame.

The Options menu Is used to control various settings for the user
Interface, such as whether a ruler Is shown on screen. It also Includes the Multi-Chapter options, which are used to back up
chapters to disk, to print multiple chapters, and to generate a
table of contents or an Index.

Figure 2-2a: Notes on the Menu Line (DOS/GEM version).

27

Chapter 2: How Ventura Works

The Edit menu provides basic
cut, copy, and paste for
both text and graphics. In addition, It contains commands
for updating anchors (pictures connected to text) and
automatically generated
numbers. Finally, this menu
contains the Set Preferences
dialog box.

The functions In the Frame menu are applied to the currently active
frame: either to the base page (which Itself Is a frame) or one of the
additional frames you have drawn on the page. Among the settings
controlled through this menu are the number of columns of text In a
frame, the scaling and cropping of graphics Imported Into frames,
the amount of padding surrounding a frame, the background
shade of the frame, and the placement of vertical rules In a frame.
In addition, you use this menu to remove or rename flies.

No matter what
mode you are In, the
View menu can be
used to zoom In or
out. It also lets you
customize the appearance of the
screen with options
to hide or show wlndows, rules, column
guides, etc.

The Graphic menu's operations
are available when the Graphics
Icon Is selected. They control the
appearance of graphics you
have drawn with tools from
Ventura's graphics palette. To
change the line and fill attributes
of a graphic element such as a
line or a box, you must first draw
and then select tha[t element. /

I
file

View

Chapter

,

Frame _Paragraph

\

The File menu Is used
for bringing text and
pictures Into Ventura
documents, for loading
or saving documents
that you have already
begun working on
(called chapters), for
loading and saving
style sheets, and for
printing. The Manage
Publication dialog box
controls document
backups and multlchapter operations.

Text

The functions of
the Paragraph
menu are only
available when a
particular paragraph has been
selected. This
menu Is used to
change the typographic settings
tor tags.

The Chapter menu controls headers,
footers, footnotes, paper size and orientatiOn, Inserting pages, and Jumping
backward and forward to a different
page.

Graphic

Table

The Table menu
lets you Insert a
table between
two paragraphs
and then set and
alter the structure
and appearance
of the table.

F1-Help

I

The Help menu lets you get quick Information without resorting to the
manual. In addition, selecting Help
with the mouse (not with the F1 key)
provides you with a report on
Ventura's memory allocation for
frames and tags and for paragraphs
and text. You can Change the allocation If necessary.

The Text menu lets you override the character formatting of a tag to change the appearance of a
single letter, word, or longer passage. You can apply
Italics, underlining, etc. In addition, this menu lets you
Insert "special Items" such as hoI/ow boxes and equations.

Figure 2-2b: Notes on the Menu Line (Windows version).

28

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

hits, such as PageMaker and ReadySetGo!, were strongly rooted in
the page makeup tradition. Other Macintosh programs, such as
JustText, and programs for the PC such as ScenicWriter, TEX, and
MagnaType, followed the batch approach.
What sets Ventura apart is that it merges some aspects of both
approaches. Just as in the typical page makeup system, you can
work interactively with each individual page, watching the results
of your formatting decisions on the screen. On the other hand, the
program provides the speed of a batch program by automatically
setting up as many pages as are required to compose your documents. In a real sense, with Ventura you get the best of both
worlds .

•:.

A Scenario
Let's bring the discussion down to earth by describing a typical
scenario. Caroline is a freelance technical writer who writes and
produces manuals for several companies. The manuals combine
text, scanned images, and simple diagrams.
To create her text, Caroline types it into WordPerfect. She scans
images using an HP ScanJet Plus scanner, editing the pictures
using Picture Publisher and saving them in Tagged Image File
Format (TIFF).
Once she has created the text and graphics files for a chapter of
the manual, Caroline loads Ventura Publisher (DOS/GEM version)
and then loads a style sheet, using the operations in the File
menu. While the screen is still blank, she uses the operations in
the Chapter menu to select the dimensions of the paper she intends to print on. She then uses the Options menu to turn the
column guides on. Next, she switches to frame mode (by clicking
on the frame icon) and uses the operations in the Frame menu to
adjust the margins of the base page. By viewing the column
guides, she checks that the margins are satisfactolY.

Chapter 2: How Ventura Works

29

With the page size and margins set, Caroline loads text from her
WordPerfect files onto the page. She then switches to tagging
mode and begins "tagging" her document. Each of the tags contained in her style sheet contains the formatting information appropriate to a particular type of paragraph. Tags have names like
"Headline," "Subhead," and "Body Text" and are listed on the left
side of the screen. To tag a paragraph, she merely clicks her
mouse once on the paragraph and then once on the name of a tag
in the list of tags.
If no tag is available for a given purpose, Caroline creates a new
one, using the Add New Tag option. She names the new tag and
then uses the options in the Paragraph menu to specify such
elements as font, first line indent, left and right spacing, spacing
between lines and paragraphs, ruling lines, and special features
such as bullets.
The work of tagging goes fairly fast. Most text doesn't need to be
tagged at all, since Ventura automatically assigns the Body Text
tag to any untagged text.
Once the text is completely tagged, Caroline switches to text
mode and uses Ventura's built-in word processor to make minor
insertions and deletions to accommodate last-minute changes in
her text.
Having finished using Ventura's word processor, she switches to
frame mode again, clicks on Add New Frame, and draws several
frames to accommodate pictures. She then uses the File menu to
load scanned images into these frames. Next, she uses the Margins and Columns option of the Frame menu to place margins
between the pictures and the frames, and uses the Sizing & Scaling option of the Frame menu to adjust the scaling and cropping
of the pictures. Then she uses the Anchors & Captions option of
the Frame menu to add captions to the pictures.
Caroline now switches to Ventura's internal graphics mode and
uses the line drawing and box text tools to label her pictures.

30

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Then she switches briefly back into text mode to add some text to
the boxes and then switches to tagging mode to format the text.
Having formatted the text and graphics on each page of the
manual, she now uses the Chapter menu again to (;ldd Headers
and Footers to her pages. Finally, she uses the File menu to give
her document a chapter name, save it, and print it out.

.:.

Modes: Five Programs in One
As the above scenario illustrates, the process of creating a document with Ventura involves continually moving in and out of the
five modes provided by the program and using the commands
that are available in each. Once you have become experienced
with Ventura, you'll find yourself choosing the right mode and
looking into the right menu more or less automatically, and you'll
find that the various modes work together quite seamlessly. However, in first attempting to grasp the way the program works, it's
useful to recognize that the five modes actually represent five
different programs merged into one.
The first two programs are a page layout program and a pagination program (some functions of each are assigned to the frame
drawing and tagging modes). The third program is a simple word
processor (text editing mode), and the fourth is a simple drawing
program (graphics mode). The fifth is a forms-generation program
(table editing mode). When you're in a given mode, some of the
items in the pull-down menus are shown in black and can be
selected, while others are shown in gray and cannot be selected.
This is Ventura's way of allowing the five programs to share the
same set of menus.
In addition to the commands available in the various modes, there
are also some commands that can be used no matter which mode
you happen to be in. These include commands for loading text or
graphics into Ventura, printing documents, and customizing the
program's user interface.

Chapter 2: How Ventura Works

.:.

31

Analyzing the Operations
Clearly, it's important to know the purposes served by each of
Ventura's five modes. But to grasp the program we need to take a
slightly different tack. Let's now look at Ventura's operations not
in terms of what mode they are assigned to but in terms of what
they let you accomplish. If you analyze Ventura's structure from
that perspective, you'll see that the operations available to you fall
into four categories:
• Operations for importing and exporting various items such
as text, graphics, and style sheets
• Operations for customizing the Ventura interface
• Text and graphics processing operations
• Formatting operations

.:.

Category 1: Bridges to the Outside World
Before you can format a document you have to pull text and
graphics into Ventura, and after you format the document you
have to either print it or store it on disk. In addition, with any
program there are various housekeeping chores that need to be
attended to, such as saving style sheets and documents to use
later.
This is where Ventura's "bridging" operations come into play.
Most of these reside in the File menu, including commands for
loading text or pictures into Ventura, saving documents that have
been formatted, printing, and using DOS to create new subdirectories to hold documents. In the DOS/GEM version, a few bridging commands, particularly those for removing text or pictures or
text from a document, reside in the Edit menu rather than the File
menu. Finally, in the DOS/GEM version, the Options menu includes a selection, Add/Remove Fonts, for increasing or reducing
the number of fonts available for use in documents.

32

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Most of your bridging work will typically occur when you are first
beginning to create a document and when you are ending your
work. At the beginning, you load the appropriate files and style
sheets; at the end you print the document and save the completed
(or partially completed) chapter.

•:.

Category 2: Customizing the Interface
No user interface is perfect for every type of user and every type
of document. For that reason, Ventura provides an extensive
range of operations for customizing the appearance of Ventura's
main screen as well as for controlling the type of feedback
provided about the status of a document. In the DOS/GEM version, these customizing controls are mainly located in the Options
menu; in the Windows version, they are found in the View and
Edit menus. These controls let you hide or show elements such as
rulers, column guides, and pictures; flag loose lines; turn column
snap and line snap on and off; use pull-down or drop-down
menus; adjust the double-click speed of the mouse (DOS/GEM
only-in the Windows version, you do this via the Windows Control Pane!); and view on-screen kerning.
Another location of such operations is the View menu, which lets
you specify the degree of magnification of the screen. Finally, the
scroll bars on the right side and bottom of the screen let you
control the portion of the page you are currently viewing .

•:.

Category 3: Text and Graphics Operations
Ventura's internal word processor and graphics generator are useful for making last-minute changes and for enhancing pictures
generated by scanners, CAD programs, drawing programs, and
business graphics programs.
The word processor is activated when you select the Text icon. Its
commands are located in the Edit menu and in the sidebar
(DOS/GEM version) or the Text menu (Windows version).

Chapter 2: How Ventura Works

33

The graphics generator is activated when you select the Graphics
icon (DOS/GEM version) or one of the Graphics tools (Windows
version). Additional graphic controls are found in the Graphics
menu .

•:.

Category 4: Formatting
While the operations we've discussed so far are certainly important, formatting is at the center of what Ventura is all about. It is
also the most complex of the capabilities provided by the program, with commands scattered in various menus. In the
remainder of this chapter we'll go through the various tools
provided by Ventura for formatting various levels of the document.

• Style Sheets and Tags: Formatting at the
Paragraph Level
A style sheet might be thought of as a cookbook, a compilation of
recipes (called "tags") for how individual paragraphs are to be
formatted. For example, a tag called Subhead might specify that a
given paragraph is to be centered in the column and set in 18point Palatino Bold type, with 3 picas (half an inch) of leading
(vertical space) separating it from the previous paragraph and 1
pica separating it from the following paragraph. Every time you
attach this tag to a paragraph of plain text, it will assume all the
attributes stored in the tag.
Much of the work of formatting a document in Ventura involves
setting up the specifications for the various tags and then attaching these tags as needed throughout the document.
Sounds simple enough. Unfortunately, the style sheet alone
doesn't provide quite enough information to completely set up a
document. What do you do when a single letter or word within a
paragraph is formatted differently from the rest of the paragraph?
And what about formatting directions that transcend the in-

34

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

dividual paragraph, such as the margins for the entire page or the
numbering scheme for the entire document?
To take care of the issues of document formatting that extend
above and below the level of the individual paragraph, Ventura
provides a number of tools. None of these tools works quite as
simply as the style sheet concept, and the way the tools are organized within menus is at times confusing. Although it's not possible within this chapter to explain completely the relationship
between these various tools, the following is a simplified synopsis
of four levels of formatting control that Ventura provides, for the
document as a whole, for frames on pages, for words and phrases
within paragraphs, and for graphics.

• Document Specifications
Operations that affect the entire document are mainly located in
the Chapter menu. These include the size of paper being used
and whether the document is to be in portrait (vertical) or
landscape (horizontal) orientation; the numbering of chapters,
pages, and subheads; and the contents of headers and footers.
Generally, when you layout a document, the first menu to pull
down is the Chapter menu.

• Frame Specifications
Frames are one of the most confusing concepts in Ventura, since
they serve so many different purposes. When you start any document from scratch, Ventura automatically creates a frame that
coincides with the dimensions of the paper and hence is called
the "base page" frame.
Specifications that are set for the base page frame, such as margins and background shading, apply to the entire document. On
the other hand, you can create smaller frames on individual pages
to hold text or pictures. These frames must each be given individual settings for such things as margins and columns, and

Chapter 2: How Ventura Works

35

unlike the settings for the base page frames, the specifications
you enter for a smaller frame on the page apply to that frame
only.
While the difference between the base page frame and additional
frames tends to cause confusion, so does the fact that the scaling
of graphics is handled in the same dialog box (the Sizing & Scaling option of the Frame menu) as the size specifications for
frames themselves .

• Sub-Paragraph Specifications
For altering the specifications of a letter, word, or phrase within a
tagged paragraph, Ventura provides two methods of control. One
is a list of attributes that appears on the left side of the screen
when you are in text editing mode. To apply these, you hold
down the mouse button while dragging the icon across a portion
of text, then click on the name of the desired attribute.
A second method of controlling text formats is the Set Font button. This works in a similar fashion: highlight a passage of text,
click on Set Font, then use the dialog box that appears to specify
the desired font formats .

• Graphic Specifications
Ventura allows you both to import graphics and to generate
graphics within the program. Generating internal graphics is done
using the tools that appear on the left side of the screen when the
Graphics icon is selected. Once graphics are drawn, the options
in the Graphics menu can be used to alter them: for instance, to
change the thickness of a line or the background shade of an
ellipse.
It is somewhat confusing that there is no menu specifically
devoted to sizing and positioning graphics imported into Ventura
from other programs. Some of the commands for doing that are
accessed via the Sizing & Scaling option of the Frame menu (scal-

36

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

ing and cropping the picture), others via the Margins and
Columns option of the Frame menu (margins around the picture) .

•:.

A Final Concept: Ventura As a Software Hub
One of the insights designed into Ventura is the recognition that
publishing is a modular effort; that is, it comprises distinct series
of stages such as writing, editing, proofing, layout, and preparation of graphics. In our scenario above, Caroline was doing all the
work herself. Typically, however, publishing is a group effort, in
which various specialists merge their respective crafts towards a
common end.
Translated into the computer world, publishing's n10dular and
sequential nature means different people using different software
tools. Ventura's design allows it to be a useful adjunct to almost
any of the most popular computer applications, including word
processing, database, graphics, spreadsheet, and CAD programs.
Most people are already comfortable with a particular word processing program and don't care to change. Ditto with respect to
graphics programs. For instance, the preparation of the typical
manual may involve one writer using WordPerfect, another using
XyWrite, and an illustrator using AutoCAD, Publisher's Paintbrush,
and perhaps other graphics programs as well. Not only does Ventura allow importing a diverse array of file formats, but it does so
smoothly and easily .

• A Bi-directional Exchange
If Ventura only allowed files to be imported, you'd be faced with
a difficult situation when it came time to update and revise a
major document. Fortunately, the exchange is potentially bi-directional. If a document needs to be reworked, you can use Ventura's
editing tools to make changes, and those alterations will be
reflected back in the original files.

Chapter 2: How Ventura Works

37

The method chosen by Ventura's designers to implement the
open systems concept is worth noting. For each document you
generate with the program, Ventura creates a unique file with the
extension CHP. This chapter file contains pointers to all the other
files that together make up a document, including associated files
generated by Ventura and the original word processing and
graphics files. Because of this scheme, Ventura does not need to
generate an immense file containing the entire document, which
helps the speed of the program while minimizing the demands it
places on your system's storage. Other files that Ventura uses are
the INF file, which stores various settings in between your sessions with the program, and GEN files that Ventura creates to
contain text it automatically generates such as tables of contents
and indexes. These files are discussed in greater detail in Chapter
7, "Managing Files."

• Benefits of the Open System Approach
The open system approach used by Ventura has two additional
benefits. As noted, it allows easy revision of documents, such as
manuals and parts catalogs, that move through multiple generations. With Ventura, a document can be dynamic: revised and
rewritten with each printing.
The second benefit of the open system approach is that it allows
those using Ventura to stay with the various personal computer
programs they are already comfortable with. This is convenient,
of course, but also has the enormous practical benefit for organizations of minimizing the amount of retraining that needs to
take place .

• A Drawback of the Open System Approach
The drawback of the open system approach is that it leads to a
proliferation of files for every document. While Ventura provides
some techniques for managing these files and moving them
about, the work of avoiding confusion on your hard disk requires
a great deal of attention to detail and time-consuming file

38

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

management. Special utility programs, such as VPToolbox (discussed in Chapter 7, "Files") have even been introduced for the
specific purpose of managing the multiple files that make up a
Ventura document .

•:.

Putting It All Together
Hopefully, this chapter has persuaded you that despite the seeming complexity of Ventura's structure, there's method in the madness. Once you get used to the quirks of how operations are
organized in menus, you'll find that formatting documents with
Ventura is a speedy, natural process. In the end, you'll appreciate
Ventura's power when you see the results on paper. In other
words: the proof is in the printing.

SECTION

TWO

Hardware

Configuring
Your System
Using Ventura as the software hub, you can build a wide variety
of publishing systems, depending on your budget and your
needs. One of the beauties of the program is that it can run on a
relatively cheap hardware system. According to Xerox, the minimum configuration for the DOS/GEM version is a PC XT with
640K of memory, a mouse (of virtually any variety), a graphics
monitor (of virtually any variety), and one to three megabytes of
extra hard disk memory. By today's standards that's a modest,
inexpensive system, one that can be had for around a thousand
dollars, which makes Ventura one of the real bargains among the
current crop of desktop publishing programs.

42
.:.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Choosing a Computer
Of course, you should always be a bit skeptical when people talk
about a "minimum configuration." What exactly do they mean? As
I'm sure you're aware, simply being able to run a program on a
machine is not enough; it must run fast enough to make work go
forward without too much finger tapping.
I've used Ventura on a number of machines: a 1983-vintage IBM
PC with a CGA monitor, a 10MB hard disk and 576K of memory;
a Compaq DeskPro, an Everex AT clone (10MHz, 1 wait state), a
Hewlett-Packard Vectra AT compatible, an AST Premium 286 AT
compatible (10 MHz, no wait states), and a PC's Limited 386 computer (16 MHz). The table on the following page shows the results
of speed tests on several of these. The figures, however, don't
convey anything about the feel of the program, the subjective
difference in performance from one machine environment to
another.
I found even the plain IBM PC to give adequate performance,
provided the document I was working on didn't include any
graphics. Because that computer lacked much memory, it would
resort to disk swapping to handle pictures, and the result was a
tremendous wait. Working with text was no problem. Also, the
Color Graphics Adapter proved not to be the hindrance I'd expected. Despite its meager resolution, I found it easy to do fairly
exacting work (by zooming in closer when necessary). The only
real drawback with the eGA was not being able to read most text
in Normal view.
On the Compaq DeskPro, which uses the 8088 chip, Ventura
zipped along quite nicely, and in fact the performance seemed
just as good as on the HP Vectra, which uses the 80286 chip. Of
course, on the 10 MHz machines the performance was yet another
notch higher, but the striking similarity between using Ventura on
the DeskPro and the Vectra proved to my satisfaction that it isn't
the microprocessor that counts so much as the speed of your hard
disk. At the time I did the comparison my Vectra hard disk had

43

Chapter 3: Configuring Your System

Table 3-1
Speed Tests on Different Computers
(A)

(8)

(C)

(0)

(E)

(F)

(G)

1. Load Ventura

39

24

19

9

4

8

3

2. Load 3-pg chapter

19

13

10

5

3

4

3

3. Load bit-mapped image

10

8

5

3

2

2

2

4. Load object graphic

11

6

5

3

2

3

2

2

2

N/A

7

5

4

3

3

5. Move bit-mapped image
7. Jump to end of 25-pg doc

4

All times apply to the DOS/GEM version and are recorded in seconds. The computers
were (A) an IBM PC with a 10Mb hard disk; (8) a 640K Compaq DeskPro with a 20 Mb
hard disk; (C) a 640K Hewlett-Packard Vectra with 020 Mb hard disk; (0) a 640K Everex
AT clone with a 40 Mb hard disk; (E) Everex AT using the Flash disk caching program; (F)
a PC's Limited 386 computer (16 MHz); and (G) a PC's Limited 386 computer (16 MHz)
using the Vcache disk caching program.

become badly fragmented over time and had definitely become
somewhat sluggish. The moral: Go ahead and use Ventura on an
XT-class machine, and if considering the options for upgrading
such a machine for better performance, invest in a faster hard
disk.
Of course, you can get better performance from systems that have
more memory, larger hard disks, faster microprocessors, higherresolution monitors, and special RAM-disk and disk caching
utilities. By the time I was laying out the first edition of this book,
I had graduated to a fast AT clone with a Viking I 19-inch monitor
- and I definitely appreciated the increased speed and the convenience of working on the full-page monitor. For the second
edition, I used a 16-MHz PC's Limited 386 computer made by Dell

44

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Computer Corporation with an Amdek 1280 high-resolution
monitor. Moving from a 286 computer to a 386 computer definitely changed the feel of the program. For the first time, I could set
my own pace in formatting a document, not have the pace dictated by the computer. Consequently, the work seemed that much
smoother.
My own experience is that Ventura is flexible enough to adapt to
your hardware resources. Assuming your budget has some limits,
the question is: what sort of hardware investments will yield the
most bang for the buck? In this chapter we'll start by looking at
some hypothetical configurations. In the following chapters we'll
look at each particular type of hardware in detail: laser printers,
monitors, and scanners .

•:.

Five Configurations
As the following brief case studies show, prices for a publishing
system built around Ventura can range from $900 for a minimal
system to $62,000 for a full-blown, multi-workstation system, including a Linotronic imagesetter.

• A Low-End System
System A is used by a graduate student who plans to typeset her
240-page thesis with Ventura, as well as to create the questionnaires and other materials. Since her budget is quite limited, she
makes use of the laser printers at the local desktop publishing
service bureau, which provides laser printers and computers on
an hourly rental basis. Her computer is an XT clone with a 20-MB
hard disk and a Hercules clone graphics card. She uses Ventura's
optional keyboard controls but plans to add a mouse as soon as
she can afford one. For output she uses an Epson dot matrix
printer. Although the quality of Ventura's output on the Epson
isn't good enough for master copies, it is sufficient for creating
proofing copies. For final copies, the student rents time on an
Apple LaserWriter, or possibly on a Linotronic 200, to produce the

45

Chapter 3: Configuring Your System

final version of her thesis. The price breakdown of her system is
as follows:

System A
20M B XT clone
dot matrix printer
Total

$
$

600
300
900

• An Inexpensive Laser Printer System
System B is used by a business consultant who frequently designs
forms for clients and prints reports containing business graphics
and tables. He does not have the funds for options such as a
full-page monitor or a high-end laser printer. His system is the
least expensive laser printer system:

System B
20MB AT clone
LaserJet liP
Total

$
$

900
900
1,800

• A Medium-Priced System (Speed Oriented)
System C is used by a freelance technical writer who prepares
manuals for small software companies. Her priority is speed, not
output quality, so she has chosen to spend most of her budget on
a fast computer and a high-resolution monitor, and to save money
by buying an inexpensive laser printer. She uses an IBM AT done
computer with a 40MB hard disk and a mouse, and a Wyse 700
monitor. Because she can get by with the standard Swiss, Dutch,
Courier, and Symbol typefaces provided with Ventura, she opted
not to buy a PostScript printer, and instead bought a used HP
LaserJet printer and retrofitted it with a LaserMaster LC2 printer
accelerator. This controller resides on a board installed in the
computer and connected with an ultra-high-speed cable directly
to the video interface of the printer, a scheme that allows extremely fast printing. The cost of her system:

46

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

System C
40MB AT clone
Wyse 700 monitor
HP LaserJet (used)
LaserMaster LC2 controller
Total

$

1,000
900
1,200

$

4,900

] ,8QO

• A Medium-Priced System (Type-Oriented)
System D is used by the proprietor of a walk-in desktop publishing shop that produces a wide range of materials: books, business
reports, resumes, newsletters, forms, and manuals. Customers are
generally businesses that provide him with files in WordS tar,
WordPerfect, MultiMate, or Microsoft Word format. The shop does
not have a scanner. When images need to be merged into documents he advises clients to have halftones made at a graphic arts
shop and then to paste them onto boxes that he creates with
Ventura. Because of the variety of typefaces needed by customers,
he uses a QMS-PS 810 PostScript laser printer, which includes
about a dozen built-in scalable typefaces. Because his budget is
limited, he uses a Hercules clone board with an AT clone computer, but plans to purchase a higher-resolution monitor as his
next investment. His system:

System D
40M B AT clone
QMS PS 810
Total

$
$

1,000
3,000
4,000

• A High-Priced System
System E was assembled by the manager of a department that
produces all the manuals for a small but well-heeled engineering
company. The company decided to pull out all the stops in setting
up a desktop publishing system - well, almost all the stops: they
balked at her request for a Linotronic imagesetter. The system
includes an IBM PS/2 Model 80 computer with 80 MB of storage,

47

Chapter 3: Configuring Your System

a QMS-PS 810 printer, a LaserMaster LC2, a Viking 2 full-page
display, and a Microtek scanner. The price of the system is as
follows:

System E
IBM PS/2 Model 80 Computer
QMS PS-810
LaserMaster LC/2
Microtek scanner
Viking 2 display
Total

$

$

4,500
3,000
1,800
2,000
2,000
13,300

• Full-Blown Publishing
System F is used by a task force that is developing prototype
systems, procedures, and training materials for a Fortune 1000
company. The company intends eventually to invest in Venturabased systems for its offices in numerous different locations in the
United States and overseas. The system includes six 386 clone
workstations - three attached to PostScript printers, the other
three to LaserJet III printers. The group shares a single scanner
and a Linotronic imagesetter. The entire system is as follows:

System F
Six 80M B 386 clones
Three QMS-PS 810 printers
Three LaserJet III printers
Six Wyse 700 displays
One Microtek scanner
One Linotronic 200 Imagesetter
Total
Price per workstation

$

$
$

12,000
9,000
5,100
4,200
2,000
30,00Q
62,300
10,383

48
.:.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Conclusion
Some interesting conclusions can be drawn from these scenarios.
The first is that publishing systems based around Ventura start at
around $1,800 (assuming the system includes a laser printer), but
that a bare-bones configuration can cost as little as $900, provided
you are willing to put up with the inconvenience of proofing on a
dot-matrix printer. On the other hand, if you decide to set up a
no-holds-barred workstation with all the fixin's and buy the latest
IBM-brand computers, your bill can run upwards of $13,000. With
careful selection of computers, however, and sharing of typesetting equipment by a workgroup, you can have an even better
system (since it includes a typesetter) for under $11,000 per
workstation. Note that such a system is vastly superior to the
traditional multiterminal typesetting systems of yore, since each
"terminal" is actually a powerful personal computer rather than a
dumb terminal serving the typesetting machine.

Printers
In the fall of 1983, an announcement was made at the immense
Comdex Computer Show in Las Vegas that drew little notice at the
time, but that in retrospect marked the firing shot of the technological revolution we now call desktop publishing. That announcement was by Canon Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer
better known for its cameras than for its computer equipment. At
Comdex, Canon offered to provide other companies with laser
printer engines for a price, when purchased in quantity, of under
$1000 .

•:.

Laser Printer Engines
Unlike a car engine, a laser printer engine includes all the mechanical parts of the printer and usually the chassis as welleverything but the microelectronics controlling the machine. Pre-

50

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

viously, a price of under $1,000 for a laser printer engine would
have been laughable. However, Canon had found ways of adapting the design of its low-cost office copiers, and was planning to
push laser printers into the realm of mass production economies.
Among the first to take Canon up on the offer was Hewlett-Packard, which designed its own controller to add to the Canon engine, called it the LaserJet, and started selling the fast, quiet little
printers to businesses for $3,500 each. Eventually, several scores
of companies were to do likewise, customizing their own particular laser printers around the Canon engine.
To this day, laser printer manufacturers have continued to follow
the pattern set by Canon and HP. A relatively small number of
Japanese firms create the laser printer engines. Canon and Ricoh
are the leaders; others include Kyocera, NEC, and Epson. American and Japanese companies then enhance these engines with
their own controller designs - companies such as Apple Computer, QMS, and Hewlett-Packard.
The engine is the physical mechanism of the printer, determining
such factors as print quality, durability, paper handling, and cost
of toner and other replaceables. The controller is the brain of the
printer, determining such factors as availability of fonts and graphics capabilities. In general, most of the important matters to be
concerned about are the controller's domain, since most of the
printer engines (with some notable exceptions) are capable of
competent printing and paper handling.
A number of criteria set them apart, including print quality (crispness of characters, quality of gray shades, blackness of blacks),
paper handling, speed, availability of fonts, graphics capabilities,
compatibility with typesetting machines, and quality of graphics.
Among laser printer engines, the most basic difference is whether
the printer uses write-black technology or write-white. In a writeblack engine, the portions of the drum marked by the laser are
identical to the areas of black produced on the page. In a writewhite engine, a reverse-imaging technique is used in which the

Chapter 4: Printers

51

portions of the drum marked by the laser are identical to the areas
of white produced on the page. Write-black engines produce
round pixels and are better at printing fine lines and serifs. Writewhite engines produce scalloped pixels and have trouble with
fine lines and serifs. From a print quality standpoint, it appears
that write-black engines are clearly superior, and most of the popular laser printers being sold these days, including those from
Hewlett-Packard and Apple, use write-black technology .

• Canon Engines
The first wave of laser printers, including the LaserJet, LaserJet
Plus, LaserWriter, and QMS KISS, were based on the Canon LBPCX. The LBP-CX was reliable and capable of crisp, clean output.
The engine had some annoying drawbacks, notably small input
and output paper trays and blacks that weren't quite black.
The Canon LBP-SX was a major redesign of the LBP-CX. Like the
LBP-CX, the LBP-SX has excellent print quality, and like the CX
has all its replaceable supplies, including toner, in a single convenient cartridge. The cartridge lasts for 4000 copies, compared to
the 3000 copies of the CX cartridge. Print quality is improved over
the LBP-CX: the new engine retains the former one's crisp handling of serifs and fine lines, but now prints blacks that are truly
black. An important feature is a toner intensity control, which lets
you adjust the darkness of type to your liking. At about 50
pounds, the LBP-SX is 30 percent lighter than the LBP-CX. However, paper trays are larger and paper emerges in the correct order
(i.e., face down). Most of the leading printers today, including
those from Hewlett-Packard, Apple, and QMS, use this engine or
the LBP-LX, a slower engine featured in the LaserJet lIP and other
compact printers.

52

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip 4 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Importance of Intensity
Control
Advertisement after advertisement emphasizes the ability of this
printer or that one to print ((blacker blacks." As is well known,
solid areas printed by the first low-cost laser engine, the Canon
LEP-CX, were too light for most people's liking, and subsequent
laser printer designs have all compensated for the problem.
However, perhaps more important than whether a printer can
print true black is whether the printer provides a way of controlling the print intensity. This turns out to be extremely important
if you are producing master copies on your laser printer that will
be reproduced on a photocopying machine or at a print shop. As
a general rule, master copies should be as light as possible without beginning to fade. That's because all reproduction methods
tend to darken type. Type that looks acceptable on the master
tends to become excessively dark after reproduction.
The moral: When you buy a laser printer, check to see that it has
an intensity control.

•:.

Higher-Resolution and Enhanced
Resolution Printers
While 300 dpi has become the de facto standard for laser printers,
there is no reason that desktop laser printers should not graduate
toward better quality. The resolution of most laser printers is 300
dots per inch, which is too coarse for replacing actual typeset
output in most situations. On the other hand, printing at 1200 dpi,
the low end of phototypesetting, is far more expensive. Some sort
of technology is needed to bridge the gap between 300-dpi laser
printing and 1200-dpi phototypesetting. That technology is now
appearing in commercial products.
The techniques vary. Some printers, such as the Printware 720 IQ

Chapter 4: Printers

53

Professional Laser Imager, sport a higher number of dots per inch.
On the other hand, the Hewlett-Packard LaserJet III provides
higher quality without increasing the dots per inch by means of a
technology known as Resolution Enhancement. Finally, some
printers, including the LaserMaster LMIOOO, combine increased
resolution with some sort of enhancement technology.
Of course, there's only one sure-fire way to judge the effectiveness of one approach versus another: ask for sample pages and
compare them under a magnifying glass .

•:.

Page Description Languages
The laser printer controller is the "brains" of the printer, the part
that endows the printer with its ability to generate graphics and
characters. It is also known as the raster image processor (RIP). In
most cases, the RIP is located inside the printer itself. The AST
Turbolaser, the IBM Personal Pageprinter, the LaserMaster LC2,
the QMS JetScript, and some others locate their RIPs on circuit
boards within the computer.
The capabilities of printer RIPs vary widely. As a result, some
laser printers are capable of printing only one or two monospaced fonts and have no graphics capabilities, while others can
print fonts of virtually any style or size as well as graphics of any
sort. The difference is in the software used by the RIP, which is
referred to as the page description language (PDL).
Ventura works with virtually all the page description languages on
the market, including Adobe's PostScript and HP's Printer Command Language or PCL. However, the capabilities of Ventura will
vary, depending on which page description language your printer
is running. Let's now look at these two page description languages in turn.

54

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• PostScript
PostScript is by far the most important page description language.
It was developed by Adobe Systems, which in turn sells other

companies the rights to incorporate PostScript into their laser
printers and typesetters. So far, the list of PostScript printers includes the Apple LaserWriter lINT and IINTX, the QMS PS 810, the
QMS PS Jet printer retrofit kit, the QMS JetScript retrofit kit, the
IBM Personal Pageprinter, the TI OmniLaser, the Compugraphic
CG 400-PS laser printer, the 1690-dpi Linotronic 200 phototypesetter, the 2540-dpi Linotronic 300 typesetter, and many others.
The first notable feature of PostScript is that it allows device independence; that is, files created for anyone of the printers listed
above can be printed on any other (with certain exceptions related to differences in the amount of RAM built into the printers).
The second notable feature of PostScript is that it uses fonts generated from outlines. This method is vastly superior to the alternative, which is to store the actual pattern of dots in each font as a
bit map. With PostScript's outline method, fonts of any size can be
generated from a single outline, and only one master outline file
needs to be stored for each typeface. The Adobe collection of
fonts includes scores of commercial typefaces licensed from the
lTC, Mergenthaler, Stempel, and Haas type collections.
PostScript makes it possible to apply various graphic effects to
type, including rotation, stretching, filling with patterns, and distorting. However, Ventura does not provide commands to exploit
these talents. Similarly, PostScript's extraordinary abilities with
graphics are not fully tapped by Ventura. The one exception is the
Encapsulated PostScript option, which allows special effects written in PostScript to be incorporated into documents. For more
information on this format, see Chapter 18, "Encapsulated PostScript."

Chapter 4: Printers

•

55

peL Level 4 and LaserJet Clones
PCL, or Printer Command Language, is Hewlett-Packard's designation for the set of internal commands used by the LaserJet printer family. The LaserJet Plus, LaserJet II, LaserJet lIP, all feature PCL
Level 4, and this version of PCL Level 4 is also built into the
LaserJet clones sold by virtually every printer manufacturer.
Compared with PostScript, PCL Level 4 has fairly rudimentary
capabilities. Whereas PostScript printers use master font outlines
that can be automatically scaled to any size, PCL Level 4 printers
must work with fonts at fixed sizes. Despite the fact that there are
now software programs such as Glyphix that can automatically
create fonts at different sizes for the printer, the absence of font
scaling remains a major drawback of PCL Level 4 printers.
PCL Level 4 printers also lack the sophisticated graphics capabilities of PostScript printers, but from a practical standpoint this
problem does not actually prove to be much of a hindrance. Most
of the graphic effects generated by Ventura as well as by drawing
programs like Corel Draw can be printed on a standard PCL Level
4 printer.
When you install Ventura for any PCL Level 4 printer, you should
select both the 300-dpi and the 150-dpi LaserJet Plus drivers. Select the 300-dpi driver first so that it is the default driver. (The
150-dpi driver need only be used if you are printing a page with
lots of graphics and your printer is short on memory.)
Because there is no formal certification process for PCL printers,
some differences between the LaserJet clones and the real LaserJet tend to crop up from time to time. Generally speaking, the
clones have no problem in handling fonts in HP format, including
the fonts supplied with Ventura. As long as your documents are
text-only, using a LaserJet Plus clone is a safe bet.
With graphics, clones sometimes show subtle differences from the
LaserJet Plus and LaserJet II. Problems include streaking in
scanned graphics or clip art, anomalous vertical lines, difficulty

56

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

producing all eight shades of gray, and trouble producing graphics in landscape orientation (Le., across the length of the paper).

Tip 4 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Testing a LaserJet Clone
If you're shopping for

a printer and aren't sure whether it provides a good emulation of the Laserjet Plus, ask the salesperson to
print out a copy of SCOOP.CHP, the sample newsletter that is
provided with Ventura in the \ TYPESET directory. If the clonf3
can handle that newsletter, the emulation is up to snuff.

•

peL Level

5

The LaserJet III and IIID feature the newest, highest stage of HP's
Printer Command Language, PCL Level 5. The most important
new element of Level 5 is the ability to scale fonts within the
printer. If you are using the Windows version of Ventura, you can
have direct access to these scalable fonts. The DOS/GEM version,
however, does not provide a LaserJet III driver, but such drivers
are available from VPUG (Ventura Professional Users Group) and
from SWFTE International. For access information, see Appendix
A, "Resources."

.:.

Printing Speed
Speed is a major issue when using a program like Ventura. You
want to be working on your document, not sipping coffee while
the printer takes its time printing a page. The time it takes to print
a document can vary tremendously from printer to printer. A page
that requires 4 minutes on one printer may take 20 seconds on
another. Two factors determine the speed of a printer.
A big factor affecting the speed of printing is the transmission
channel between computer and printer. Many printers, in particular the Apple LaserWriter family, do not have a parallel port

Chapter 4: Printers

57

and hence must be connected to the computer via a serial cable
operating at 9600 baud or via an AppleTalk cable. Neither the
serial option nor the AppleTalk option is well suited for PC users:
the former is slow, and the latter requires you to buy a special
AppleTalk board. Much better is a parallel channel, and as a rule
of thumb you should avoid any printer that doesn't provide one.
There's one way of linking a computer to a printer that is even
faster than a parallel interface. This is the direct link to the I/O
port used by accelerator boards such as the LaserMaster LX series.
The second factor affecting printer speed is the efficiency of the
printer's controller and the type of page description language
used by the printer. PostScript printers tend to be somewhat
slower than other laser printers; PostScript typesetting machines
are infamous for their sluggishness. The situation for PostScript is
gradually improving, however, as Adobe Systems improves its
PostScript controllers. In addition, some of the PostScript clone
printers on the market are significantly faster than Adobe PostScript printers. In addition, it should be noted that Ventura's own
PostScript driver has been souped up since the initial release of
the program and is now rated at 30 percent faster than before.
If you've already settled on your hardware, you can't do much
about the speed of the transmission channel or the speed of the
printer itself. However, there are a variety of other techniques that
you can apply to speed up the printing process, including downloading fonts ahead of time and using a print cache. These are
detailed in Chapter 25, "Printing Tips."

.:.

The Printer Capabilities Page
Laser printers differ in their capabilities, and these differences are
summarized in a printer capabilities test that is automatically installed on your hard disk when you install Ventura. To use the
test, load CAPABILI.CHP from the \ 1YPESET subdirectory. Printing out this page on your printer gives you the following information:

58

Ventura Tips and Trick,~ 3rd Edition

• What the boundaries of the imaging area are. With most
printers, the black border will extend to within about 1/4inch of the edge. The white margin shows the unprintable
portion of the page.
• What sizes of fonts are currently available. With printers that
use bitmapped fonts, such as the LaserJet II and lIP, you're
generally limited to fonts of about 24 or 30 points, though
on-the-fly font generators such as Glyphix, FaceLift (for Windows), and Adobe Type Manager (also for Windows) are
able to overcome that ceiling. With PostScript printers, the
limit is 240 points. With LaserMaster controllers and printers
there is no limit.
• Whether your printer can handle transparent and opaque
graphics. The LaserJet can print transparent graphics but not
opaque; PostScript can print opaque but not transparent.
• Whether your printer can print reversed (white on black)
type. PostScript and LaserMaster printers can. LaserJet III
printers can as well, though only with a Laset:Jet III driver.
peL Level 4 printers cannot unless you are using a specially
generated white-on-black font.
• Whether your printer can print opaque shaded graphics on
top of ruling lines. With the LaserJet, the ruling lines show
through.
• Whether your printer can print text at various rotations. peL
Level 4: no. PostScript, LaserMaster, and peL Level 5: yes.
• Whether the fonts supplied with Ventura for your printer include kerning information. In Ventura 3.0, the answer is yes
for both PostScript and LaserJet printers.
• Whether the printer can render type formatted for various
colors as different shades of gray.

59

Chapter 4: Printers

VENTURA PUBLISHER PRINTER
CAPABILITY PAGE
White text. The box to the left should be black with the words "Reverse
Text" printed in white on top of it. If your printer cannot print white text
on a black background (e.g., LaserJet), you will see only a black box.
Opaque graphics. The word
"Under" from the phrase "Text
Under Graphics" should be completely obscured by the opaque
oval. If your printer can't print
opaque graphics, the text partially
shows through the oval.

Transparent graphics. The word
"Under" from the phrase "Text
Under Graphics" should be partially obscured by the transparent
oval. If your printer can't print
transparent graphics (e.g., PostScript), the text will be totally
obscured.
Font sizes. The numbers below represent a range of point sizes between 6 and 72 point Times (or Dutch). If the size is not currently
available for your printer, the number will print in the nearest available
size.

Rotated text. The words
"Rotated Text" below should
appear at right angles to the
words "Normal Text" if your
printer can print rotated text.
Otherwise, the words "Rotated
Text" will not appear at all.

Normal Text
Colored text. If your printer
maps colors to shades of gray,
you should see different shades
for the following words: red,
green, blue, cyan, yellow,
magenta.

Kern:
VA
No Kern: VA

6,8,10,12,14,24,36,48,72
Ruling lines. This 3 ruling
lines around this box
should be obscured by an
opaque circle. On some
printers, the rules show
through.

Automatic kerning. Some
printer width tables contain
kerning information. If your
printer width table contains
kerning information, the letters
VA will be closer together in the
frrst line than in the second line
above. Otherwise, the VA in
both lines will be identical.

Figure 4-1: The printer capabilities page produced by an HP Laserjet II printer with

512K of memory.

60

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip 4 - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Parallel Versus Serial
When setting up a Lase1jet printer, make sure you select a parallel
interface rather than a serial one. That's because serial transmission makes downloading of fonts and graphics is considerably
slower.

• LaserJet Fonts
Besides the Bitstream-designed Dutch (Times Roman) and Swiss
(Helvetica) fonts provided by Ventura for the LaserJet, hundreds
of other fonts are available from third-party vendors. For details,
see Chapter 21, "Adding New Fonts." For a full-scale treatment of
the subject, see Peachpit Press's The Laserjet Font Book.

Tip 4 - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

How Much LaserJet Memory?
The Laserjet IIP comes with 512K of RAM; the Laserjet III comes
with 1MB. As long as you stick to using three or four fonts at a
time, don't print any bitmapped graphics larger than about a
quarter of a page, and don't use any fonts larger than 30 points,
this built-in memory should suffice. If your needs go further than
that, you can buy upgrade board from HP or from third-party
suppliers such as Pacific Data Products. If you're someone with a
big appetite for graphics and large fonts, get 2MB. The 4MB upgrade is only necessary if the printer is used on a network and
several people all want to download their own fonts into the
printer.

•:.

Printer Upgrades
There are several reasons why you might want to upgrade a
standard LaserJet or other laser printer: to add PostScript, to speed
up printing, or to increase the size and number of fonts available

Chapter 4: Printers

61

for printing. Fortunately, a number of upgrade options are readily
available. These include the LaserMaster LX6, which is a pair of
boards that are inserted into the printer and into your computer.
More convenient to install are the new PostScript cartridges that
install into one of the slots on the front of the LaserJet II, lIP, or III.
For details on these cartridges, see Appendix: A, "Resources."
When using an external printer controller, such as the LaserMaster
LX upgrades, you remove two screws and slip a card in, just like
you do in a computer. These cards use the I/O slot to bypass the
normal printer controller of the printer, so that the computer
sends the image directly to the printer, rather than sending data
which the printer must construct into an image.
Image doesn't always mean a painting or drawing. Each letter of
a bitmapped font is actually made up of pixels, or dots, to form an
image, just like a paint-type graphic. These pictures of letters are
combined with other graphics into the image of a single page,
which the printer then prints.
Transmission speeds through the I/O slot are much faster than
through a parallel cable, and this is one of the speed advantages
of cards like the LaserMaster and JLaser.

Tip 4 - 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Missing I/O Slot
Despite the tremendous value of the optional I/O slot, not all SX
engines have it. The QMS-PS 810 and the HP Laserjet lIP don't.
So before you rush out to buy a Canon-based printer, look in the
back for the little I/O slot, gateway to a world of wonder- or at
least speed.

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Profile------------------------------------------

LaserMaster
Considering what they offer - speed and higher resolution at an
affordable price - it's not hard to see why LaserMaster's various
printer controllers amnd plain-paper typesetters have taken the
desktop publishing market by storm. At the low end is the LX
series of controllers, which are upgrade boards that you install in
your computer and connect with a special cable to the back of
your LaserJet (except the lIP), Canon LBP, or IBM laser printer. At
the high end is the LM1000 Plain Paper Typesetter, which comes
complete with board and printer. The LX controllers increase the
resolution of the printer to anywhere from 400 by 400 TurboRes
to 800 by 800 TurboRes, depending on the model. The LMIOOO
Plain Paper Typesetter offers 1000 by 1000 TurboRes quality.
Note that LaserMaster avoids rating its controllers in terms of dots
per inch and instead uses the term TurboRes. That's because,
strictly speaking, 800 by 800 TurboRes only means 800 dots per
inch in the horizontal direction. In the vertical direction, the actual
resolution is 300 dpi, which LaserMaster enhances using a
patented method of controlling the size and placement of laser
printer dots. The enhancement is real, but whether 800 by 800
TurboRes is really just as good as 800 by 800 dots per inch is
debatable. To really judge the quality of LaserMaster output, have
your dealer print out a sample for you and compare it to actual
imagesetter output. This book, by the way, was printed on a
LaserMaster 1000 using converted Adobe Type 1 fonts, and then
photographically reduced at the printer by 18 percent.
Besides the higher quality of type from TurboRes technology, the
LX controllers are also extremely fast. The only time I've seen my
unit slow down is when it's attempting to deal with pages containing TIF graphics or large numbers of fonts.
The LX controllers vary in price from around $1,500 to $5,000,
depending on whether you opt for the 400 by 400 model with 35
fonts or the 800 by 800 model with 135 fonts. The LM-IOOO costs

Chapter 4: Printers

63

about $7,500 (including the printer itself, software, and fonts),
and the LM-1200 (see below) weighs in at $16,000 (including
printer, software, and fonts - plus $2,500 a year for a service
contract, a standard requirement on all large format, high-res
printers). Compared to the costs of other high-resolution printers
and imagesetters, such as Linotronics starting at around $25,000
and other high-resolution lasers priced at over $10,000, these are
a great value .

• Tabloid News
The latest thing from LM is the new 11- by 17-inch printer, 1200
dpi "TurboRes" printer, which can crank out twenty-five 8- by
11-inch pages or fourteen tabloid-size pages per minute. It comes
standard with 16 megabytes of me mOlY (expandable to 32) and
can handle up to 25,000 pages a month.
The speed and high duty-rating make this a great "on-demand"
printer for churning out impressively high-quality originals. This
printer is great not only for printing tabloid size pages, but its
extra size makes it easy to print camera ready 8- x 11-inch pages
with bleeds, something you can't do on an 8- x II-inch printer.
And the high-resolution means you can print impressive photos at
up to 133 lines per inch.
Compared head to head with other high-end lasers in terms of
resolution, speed, and cost, the LM-1200 is in a class by itself.

• Fonts-a-plenty
All these systems come with 135 typefaces. That's right, not 35,
but 135. The faces include the standard 35 that are resident in
most PostScript printers, plus 100 others for your dining and dancing pleasure. As a font critic myself, I have to say that these faces
are currently not as good as Bitstream or Adobe's offerings, although LaserMaster's new font division, "Digital Type Corporation," is working to improve them. The faces are acceptable, and

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

type is a subjective matter, but if you're a type connoisseur you
may prefer Bitstream or Adobe renditions of classic faces.
That poses no problem, however, as all LaserMaster systems can
use fonts in both the Adobe PostScript Type 1 format and the
Bitstream Fontware format complete with hints, so there are
literally thousands of typefaces to choose from. You simply run
your Bitstream or Adobe fonts through LaserMaster's font conversion utility and store them on your hard disk in LaserMaster's own
scalable LXO format. Plus, if you work with a LaserMaster DPS-l
for your display, the same printer font files do double duty as
onscreen scalable fonts.
By the way, the core 35 fonts that come with all the LaserMaster
controllers are PostScript width compatible, and because of this
you can proof pages on the LaserMaster and then send them to a
Linotronic for final printing while still retaining perfect character
and line spacing .

• Special Font Effects
Besides speed and smooth, crisp type, LaserMaster has a few
more neat little tricks up its board. A drop-down menu in Ventura
allows you to access a score of special effects. You can rotate
fonts in 1 degree increments, rather than the standard 90 degrees
available in Ventura. You can create outline type, or fill type with
gray. You can also break Ventura's 256 point font-size limit. And
one especially useful and wonderful effect allows you to create
"either/or" type. If the background is white, the type prints black,
if the background is black, the type prints white. Most interestingly, even if the background changes right in the middle of a character, the type is always the opposite of the background .

• Printing Complex Pages
Printing' complex pages can be a problem for other printers.
LaserJets are limited in the number of typefaces that can reside in

Chapter 4: Printers

65

the printer at once. PostScript printers without hard disks can run
out of memory when you try to use too many faces on a page.
But in all the time I've used a LaserMaster, I've never had a page
refuse to print for any reason. In my latest book I created a complex table that helps you see which typefaces work well together.
The table displays the typeface names in their actual typefaces, so
there are 61 different typefaces on a single page, with type in
three orientations at once. If that weren't enough, the page also
contained ruling lines and gray backgrounds. Printing this page
(in a single pass) would be out and out impossible on most other
printers, but the LM-1000 printed it in a mere 30 seconds .

• What About PostScript Graphics?
The only drawback to the LX controllers is that they're not PostScript compatible. This limitation means that these boards are
much faster, but it also means that Encapsulated PostScript files
won't print.
The EPS matter is a problem only if your EPS files contain fountain fills, dotted lines or other special PostScript effects. If they
don't, you can easily export the graphics in your drawing program to GEM or CGM and have them output as smoothly as they
would from EPS. Unfortunately, neither CGM or GEM support
fountain fills (or dotted lines from Corel), so if you need them,
you need EPS. Since TrueImage is PostScript compatible, EPS files
(and TrueType) will be supported when TrueImage is implemented.
Another downside is that the LaserMaster printers don't work with
all software. Ventura, WordPerfect, Word, and anything that runs
under Microsoft Windows will print. Nothing else will. You can
still use your LaserJet like a LaserJet, without having to switch
cables or change anything, but it will just be a LaserJet with other
programs, and the speed and quality of the LaserMaster will soon
spoil you for anything else.

Monitors
As ecumenical with monitors as it is with laser printers, Ventura
gives you options ranging from the 80- by 35-dpi resolution of the
IBM Color Graphics Adapter (CGA) standard up to the 150- by
150-dpi resolution of the most expensive full-page monitors.
Prices also vary widely, from a mere $200 or so for a Herculesclone graphics board and an accompanying amber monitor, to
$2,000 or more for some 21-inch dual-page models. At the low
end, some standards exist that make it simple to mix and match
equipment. At the high end, shopping and installation is complicated due to the absence of standards and the fact that such
monitors tend to push personal computers to the limits of their
performance.
In addition to the general information here on monitors, you can
find information on specific monitors in Appendix A, "Resources."

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Monitor Lingo and Standards
Every monitor comes in two parts: the monitor itself and the
adapter (also called the controller), a board in the computer that
is connected via cable to the monitor. Monitors are generally classified according to their resolution, which is measured in horizontal pixels by vertical pixels.
Virtually every kind of monitor used with the IBM PC can be used
with Ventura, except the Monochrome Display Adapter (MDA) ,
the text-only "green screen" commonly used for word processing.
The lowest resolution is provided by the Color Graphics Adapter
(CGA). Its resolution is 640 by 240 pixels, or about 80 by 35 pixels
per square inch.
Surprisingly, the resolution of Ventura on a CGA, though somewhat coarse, is still adequate for some types of work. I used
Ventura on a CGA for several months and found the resolution
acceptable even for creating complex layouts such as forms and
brochures. The big drawback of using Ventura in CGA mode is
that you can't read most text in Normal view, which is possible in
EGA and HGC (Hercules Graphics Card). Another annoying problem with the CGA is that when you attempt to select and move a
small frame or a small box text graphic, you may inadvertently
change its size. Otherwise, the CGA works well: when you need
to read text, you merely switch into Expanded view.
One step above the CGA on the scale of resolution are the Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) and the Hercules Graphics Card
(HGC). The EGA provides 640 by 350 pixels, or about 80 by 51
pixels per square inch. The resolution of the Hercules Graphics
Card is slightly better: 720 by 348 pixels, or about 90 by 51 pixels
per square inch.
Using Ventura with an EGA or a HGC board is much more comfortable than using it with a CGA board. With the EGA or the
HGC, most text is readable in Normal view, ruling lines and frame
boundaries are crisper, and it's much easier to move or stretch
frames and boxes.

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Chapter 5: Monitors

The advantage of the Hercules card over the EGA is that it can be
used with a standard IBM Monochrome Monitor or an inexpensive monochrome monitor such as a Samsung, priced at around
$100. In addition, many makers of IBM XT or AT clones provide a
Hercules clone board as standard equipment on their machines.
With a Video Graphics Adapter (VGA) , resolution is somewhat
better than either the EGA or the Hercules at 640 by 480 pixels, or
about 80 by 70 pixels per inch. Another advantage of the VGA is
that each pixel can display various intensities of gray, allowing an
amazing realism in gray-scaled images.

Tip 5 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hercules Clones
The most economical monitor/adapter combination is a Hercules
adapter with any monochrome monitor. Hercules clones are
much cheaper than the real thing and usually just as good.

Profue---------------------------------

Soft Kicker
(the $99 Full-Page Monitor)
Attention EGA or VGA graphics owners: if you don't use the Soft
Kicker from Aristocad, you should have your head examined. I
don't say things like that very often, but for only $99 ($139 for the
Windows version) you could have all the advantages of a fullpage monitor and make the time you spend with Ventura much
more productive. If you've never heard of the Soft Kicker before,
you're excused, but if you read this profile and still don't want
one, well ...
What the Soft Kicker does is make Ventura think you're using a
full-page 1024- by 1024-pixel monitor. Ventura creates a full-page
work area (or virtual page) and stores it in the memory of your

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

EGA or VGA card. Your screen then becomes a window on this
full page.
But unlike normal Ventura, where you have to use the scroll bars
and wait while the screen redraws, the Soft Kicker pans around
this big screen any time the mouse nears the edge of the screen.
The entire page scrolls, allowing you access to any part of the
page without having to use the scroll bars. You're working at
full-size, but you still can move smoothly, easily, and instantly to
any part of the page, without even having to wait for Ventura to
redraw .

• ZAP Mode
On a VGA monitor, Soft Kicker also allows you to see the entire
page on-screen at once, using something akin to a super-enhanced "reduced" mode. On an EGA, this same capability gives
you three-quarters of the page. Press the second mouse button
and you are instantly in "ZAP" mode. In this mode not only is the
text more readable than in the normal reduced mode, but Soft
Kicker adds a small magnification window to the sidebar on the
left side of the screen. As you move the mouse around the reduced screen, this window simultaneously shows a full-size picture of where you are on the screen. This means you can do detail
work, even in reduced mode, while seeing the entire page onscreen. Going from normal view to ZAP reduced view (with the
magnification window) is virtually instant - Ventura doesn't have
to redraw the screen between normal and ZAP mode.
This may not sound like much at first, but think about these
common scenarios:
. You're trying to mark some text. You start the mouse at the
top of the screen and then - oh no - all the text doesn't fit
in one screen. You could go into reduced view, but then the
text is either greeked or impossibly tiny. With the Kicker,
the screen automatically scrolls when the mouse nears the
edge, so this is no problem. at all.

Chapter 5: Monitors

71

• Suppose you have many graphics on a page and Ventura is
taking a while to redraw the screen. Sure, you could turn
some of the pictures off, but you really need to see how
they all look together, and you're getting bored with waiting
for Ventura to redraw the screen each time you move or go
into reduced view. With the Soft Kicker this is no problem
because Ventura only draws the screen once. You move
around without redraw, and even go into full-page ZAP
view without redrawing. Seeing the Soft Kicker in action is
worth the price of admission. The bottom line is: you save a
lot of time.

• Software Compatibility
Because the Soft Kicker is software, it doesn't affect how your
EGA or VGA works with the rest of your software. You can still do
everything you could before, only now it's like you have a fu11screen monitor as well. The same Kicker screen drivers you use
with Ventura also work perfectly with all GEM applications, such
as Artline. Installation is fast and easy and mimics Ventura's own
installation, so it seems familiar right off the bat. It's even considerate enough not to change or overwrite the original VP.BAT or
VPPROF.BAT files you've used to start the program. After installation you type SK or SKPROF to start Ventura using the Soft Kicker.
Of course, once you've used Ventura with the Kicker I don't see
any reason why you'd want to use Ventura without it.
The optional Soft Kicker Plus package allows you to have kicker
power with any programs that run under Microsoft Windows,
such as Corel Draw or Micrografx Designer. Soft Kicker Plus does
everything for Windows that it does for Ventura, with the exception of the Zap mode.
The Soft Kicker isn't a luxury - it's an absolute essential for
anyone with EGA or VGA; if I were shopping for Ventura utilities,
it would be at the top of my list.

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Large-Screen Monitors
The big drawback of using standard monitors with Ventura is that
you have only a fraction of your page on the screen at once. As a
result, when you're working on a page, you suffer the annoyance
of making lots of mouse trips over to the scroll bar to move the
page up and down. Ironically, as explained below, large-screen
monitors won't necessarily free you entirely of those trips to the
scroll bar. But the ability to work with larger portions of the page
at once and to read very small type is definitely a boon to productivity.
Large-screen monitors divide into two strata. The lower tier, which
includes the Wyse and the Genius, are priced as low as $700.
These monitors are smaller and do not let you see the full page in
Normal view, so you still do quite a bit of scrolling. The higher
tier monitors cost in excess of $2000. Many of these monitors use
the 161/2 inches wide by 121f2 inches wide, easily large enough to
let you see (and read) two full pages in Facing Pages view.

Tip 5 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Measuring Large-Screen Monitors
Monitors are typically referred to by the diagonal measurement of
the screen. Thus, monitors measuring 15 inches by 12 inches are
often referred to as ((19-inch" monitors and monitors measuring
161/2 inches wide by 121/2 inches wide are referred to as ((21inch" monitors.
My bottom-line opinion on large-screen monitors is that despite
the high prices, they are a tremendous value because of how
much faster you can work and how much less tired you are at the
end of a work session. At the same time, because of the various
issues described below (especially speed and quality of screen
fonts), you should never buy one of these products until you have
a chance to really try it out under realistic conditions (Le. with a

Chapter 5: Monitors

73

document that you typically work with). For specific product information on large-screen monitors, refer to Appendix A, "Resources." The following are some general factors that you should consider as you check out systems.

• Screen Fonts
It's essential that your monitor have screen fonts in the standard
sizes you use for type, such as 10 and 12 points. Without screen
fonts, Ventura has to draw each character individually. Not only
does this result in type that is difficult to read, but more seriously
it drags down the speed of the display dramatically. Don't get
involved with any monitor that doesn't have a full set of screen
fonts.

• Aspect Ratio of Pixels
Some monitors have square pixels, others rectangular ones. For
desktop publishing, square pixels are definitely preferable, since
laser printers and typesetting machines universally use square
pixels. If your monitor doesn't have square pixels, your image of
the final page will be distorted - either stretched vertically or
horizontally.

Tip 5 - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Not-So-WYSIWYG
The Wyse WY-700, perhaps the most popular high-resolution
monitor in use, has pixels that are taller than they are wide. As a
result, pages appear to be narrower on the screen than when
printed.

• Size of Display
The reason large-screen monitors are known as "full-page displays" is that all of them can display an entire page of text - 66
lines - when used with a word processing program. The benefit

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

here is obvious: if you can work with an entire page at a time, you
don't have to scroll up and down the page. Most of the "full-page"
monitors don't actually let you see an entire page when used in
Ventura's Normal view. For example, the Xerox monitor cuts off
about an inch on the side of the page; the Wyse cuts off about an
inch at the bottom of the page.

• Flicker
Large-screen monitors have to display an immense number of
pixels; to do so, some use a technique called "interlacing," which
means that every other scan line is refreshed during each cycle.
Interlacing is apt to produce annoying flicker, though noninterlaced displays may also produce flicker if they don't refresh the
screen often enough.

• Heat and Power
Large-screen monitors and the boards that drive them draw lots of
power and tend to produce lots of heat. If your computer is already running a bit on the hot side, you may need to install a
larger power supply to handle the new monitor.

• Software Compatibility
Some monitors have been around long enough so that drivers
now exist for many popular programs. With monitors that have
been introduced more recently, you may find it difficult to use
your favorite graphics program. Note that it's not enough to verify
that your software will work with the monitor. You'll also need to
find out whether the quality of the display is adequate. For example, when some monitors are emulating the eGA or EGA
standards, they squeeze the display area into the upper left portion of the screen, making text excessively small. Make sure that
you're buying something you can use with your software.

Chapter 5: Monitors

75

Tip 5 - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

There's Still Hope
Ventura Publisher 2.0 and 3.0 both allow drivers to be installed
for peripheral devices that were not supported in the program.
Even if a particular large-screen monitor does not appear on the
list of supported devices, you'll still be able to use it with Ventura
if the manufacturer provides you with a driver.

• Primary versus Secondary Display
Some full-page monitors are designed to be used as the only
monitor with your system. These are called "primary displays."
Other monitors, called "secondary displays," can only be used if a
standard graphics board (usually an EGA board) is installed in
your computer as well. Make sure you know what kind of
monitor you are getting.

• Ease of Installation
Some monitors require a substantial level of technical expertise to
install and operate effectively. For example, if you have EMS
memory and are installing the Viking 2, you may have to adjust
the hexadecimal codes of the EMS memory addresses to avoid a
conflict between that memory and the Viking 2 controller. While
the installation manuals for some monitors are quite good, most
are poorly written and excessively technical.

• Contrast
Some monitors allow contrast to be adjusted, a desirable feature
in dealing with various lighting conditions.

• Cabling
Surprisingly, some large-screen monitors come with relatively
short cords, a real drawback if you want to use the monitor for

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

teaching purposes or move it aside so that you can run another
monitor.

• Computer Compatibllity
If you are using an IBM compatible or clone, you can generally
expect to run into some compatibility difficulties when you attempt to install a full-page monitor. Make sure the vendor has
tested the monitor with the type of computer you intend to use it
with.

• Edge Effects
Some monitors, such as the Genius, run the image right up to the
edge of the screen, which can cause some distortion at corners
and edges and make it difficult to work on those parts of a page.
Other monitors, such as the Viking 2, leave a roomy margin surrounding the active area of the screen and hence avoid such
distortion.

• Orientation
For creating documents, it makes sense to have a monitor that is
taller than it is wide (since that's the shape of the page itself).
Some monitors, including the Xerox and the Genius, are of the tall
variety but may be slightly too thin, since they cut off some of the
right edge of the page in Normal view.

Tip 5-5--------------------------------------

Portrait and Landscape
((Portrait" refers to monitors that are taller than they are wide.
((Landscape" refers to monitors that are wider than they are tall.
The terms derive from the characteristic shapes of portrait and
landscape paintings.

Chapter 5: Monitors

77

• Graphics Coprocessors
Although a large-screen monitor is supposed to make you more
productive, some put such a large computational burden on the
computer's CPU that they slow down Ventura's operations to an
unacceptable degree. The answer is a new generation of graphics
coprocessor chips, introduced by Intel, Texas Instruments, Hitachi, and others. Whatever you do, don't burden a normal XT with
a large-screen monitor that lacks a coprocessor.

• Use with a Mouse
Some monitors provide drivers for a variety of mice; others support only one mouse, a factor that can be a major nuisance if you
don't happen to have that mouse.

• Health Effects
Yes, Virginia, computers do produce electromagnetic radiation,
and the sort of radiation they produce has been tied to biological
effects in animals such as chickens and miniature swine. The
main culprit appears to be ELF (extremely low frequency) radiation, which is produced by the flyback transformer at the rear of
the monitor. Over the past few years, a growing number of researchers have concluded that low-intensity ELF radiation may
pose a health risk. Why? One theory proposes that since the body
itself uses ELF fields to govern inter-cellular processes, external
ELF fields have the potential to interrupt those processes, affecting the body's hormonal and immune systems.
Of course, it isn't just computer monitors that produce electromagnetic radiation. So do high voltage electrical transmission
lines, electrical substations, and even local transformers - those
cylindrical objects attached to power poles in streets and alleys.
Household appliances also produce electromagnetic radiation.
The difference is that you don't sit within a foot or two of an
operating Cuisinart for hours at a time, the way you sit in front of

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

your monitor. Note: besides monitors, the other household appliance that has caused concern is the common electric blanket.
Naturally, large corporate organizations such as the Electric Power
Research Institute (EPRI) have tended to pooh-pooh such concerns. In at least one instance they have even suppressed discoveries by their own researchers of biological effects caused in
animals by ELF radiation. (See Paul Brodeur's account in Currents
of Death of the suppression of the results of animal studies conducted by EPRI.) So don't hold your breath waiting for the computer industry or the government to do anything about the problem.
Here are some practical things you can do now:

. Stay in front! This is the most important piece of advice,
especially for people who work in a room with several
monitors. Measurements show that the ELF fields are much
stronger on either side and possibly in back of a monitor
than in front of the monitor.
· Keep your distance! ELF radiation decreases rapidly as
you move away from the source. An easy rule to remember
is the "Hitler salute." If you're a full arms-length away from
your monitor, you're probably OK.
· Consider black-and-white over color! Color monitors
emit far more radiation than monochrome monitors.
· Spread the word! There have been a number of excellent
articles recently. See PC Magazine, "Lab Notes," December
12, 1989; Macworld, "Commentary," July 1990; and Currents
of Death (1990) by Paul Brodeur, published by Simon and
Schuster. Brodeur's book is derived from a ground-breaking
three-part series of articles he wrote for The New Yorker in
the spring of 1989.
· Agitate! It's not hard to design and build monitors that produce less radiation. The standards in European countries are
stricter than in the U.S., and computer companies readily
comply over there. If even one percent of the people who
use PCs raised a stink and demanded stricter radiation stan-

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Chapter 5: Monitors

dards for monitors, I think the standards would be put into
effect.

ProfUe-----------------------------------------Wyse WY-700
This monitor has extensive software support, due to the fact that
they have been on the market longer than most other large-screen
displays. With its combination of low price and high resolution,
these are probably the best values on the market.
Unlike the other monitors described here, the WY-700 is not a
true "full-page" monitor. The screen is slightly larger than a standard display: 10 inches wide by 75 inches tall. Resolution is 126
pixels per inch horizontally by 105 pixels per inch vertically, a
density somewhat higher than that of most high-resolution monitors, and more than four and a half times that of the EGA. In
Ventura's Normal view you can see about 60 percent of the length
of the page and 95 percent of its width.
Unfortunately, the WY-700 does not have square pixels. The aspect ratio of pixels is 1.2, which means they are slightly taller than
they are wide. Hence, the proportions of a document on the
screen are different than on the printed page.
Besides working with Ventura, the WY-700 works with GEM,
Windows, PC Paintbrush, HALO, Auto CAD , Lotus 1-2-3, Symphony, and most other graphics and CAD packages. If software
doesn't specifically support the WY-700's high-res mode, the
monitor is compatible with eGA. While eGA still has low resolution, it looks better on the WY-700 than on regular eGA monitors.
Any text-based program (including word processing programs)
will work fine, with the characters being exceptionally large and
sharp. Text programs display as white characters on a black background, not black characters on a white background.
The WY-700 is able to clearly display 8-point type in Ventura, but
it is not a full-page screen. It will display considerably more of a

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Ventura Tips and

TricJe:.,~

3rd Edition

page than a Hercules monitor, but less than the Genius or LaserView. In Pacing Pages view, it shows two full pages side by side
at about two-thirds of actual size. While the clarity of this monitor
makes even reduced pages readable, it may not suit you if you
need to see an entire page, actual size. Although it's comfortable
to work with, mine occasionally develops an annoying flicker,
and some shades of gray in Ventura appear as striped, instead of
as solid, even grays.
If you work with Ventura day in and day out, you'll probably find
that the WY-700 is a bit too small for comfortable use. I used this
monitor to layout the second edition of this book, and I must say
that the strain of trying to read text on the screen eventually
caused me to switch back to using a regular VGA monitor with
SoftKicker.

Profue-----------------------------------------Radius TPD
Radius made its name developing large-screen monitors for the
Macintosh. Its monitors for the PC, the 19-inch Radius TPD/19 and
the 21-inch Radius TPD/21, feature the same elegant hardware
engineering as its Mac monitors. The TPD mounts on a swivel
stand that is easy to adjust, and both the power and the contrast/brightness controls are right up front for easy access.
A notable feature of the TPD is its ability to display shades of gray.
However, the monitor does have several drawbacks. With the
model I tested, the menus for Ventura, both in the Windows and
the DOS/GEM version, were too high on the screen and in fact
were partially hidden. With the driver for the DOS/GEM version,
the monitor occasionally showed annoying interference patterns
in the form of stray pixels shadowing text. Of course, such adjustment problems can affect any monitor as large as the Radius TPD,
so when you buy such a monitor, make sure that a service technician is easily accessible.

Chapter 5: Monitors

81

ProJfue-------------------------------------------

LaserMaster GlassPage 1280 and
DPS-l Graphics Card
While WYSIWYG has long been the buzzword of desktop publishing, sometimes the reality has been more like WYSIPMWYG
(What-you-see-is-pretty-much-what-you-get). That's all changed,
thanks to LaserMaster, a company known for its fast printer controller boards.
While LaserMaster's previous boards scaled fonts "on-the-fly" for
the printer, the company's newest creations, the DPS-1 and the
GlassPage do the same thing on your monitor. Since the screen
fonts are scaled from the same Bitstream outlines as the printer
fonts, what you see is really and truly what you get. No matter
what size font you request, from 3 point to 250, the on-screen font
is as sharp as the monitor can produce. No more "closeenough" -everything is letter perfect.
The GlassPage 1280 includes a controller board and a largescreen monitor. The DPS-1 is a controller board that takes a standard multiscan monitor, boosts resolution to 800 by 555 (800 by
600 tends to flicker on multiscan monitors), and gives it a "virtual
area" of 1024 by 1024 (the size of a big-screen monitor). When
the mouse touches the edges of the on-screen area, everything
scrolls automatically (a feature which should have been included
with Ventura), allowing you access to the rest of the page. You
have complete access to the entire page, even when highlighting
long blocks of text, or tagging paragraphs. While it doesn't have
all the advantages of a big-screen monitor, it's very fast and works
with a relatively inexpensive multi-scanning monitor.

Scanners
The purpose of a scanner is to convert two-dimensional or threedimensional images into a digital form that can be processed by
computer software and printed. Scanners can be classified into
two varieties, optical and video, depending on the method they
use to convert a continuous image into a digital form.

• Optical Scanners
In the optical method, a bright light is scanned back and forth
across a page, recording the intensity of the image at each point
in a fine grid. The advantage of these scanners is that they are
faster and more precise than video scanners. Optical scanners are
the most widely used type. They come in a variety of forms:
• flat-bed scanners, which resemble small copy machines
• sheet-fed scanners

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• hand-held scanners that you move across the image
• print-head scanners that attach to the head of a dot-matrix
printer and scan an image line-by-line as it moves through
the printer

• Video Scanners
Video scanners are less common than optical scanners. As the
name implies, they work in conjunction with a video camera,
processing the video signal into a digital one. The advantage of
video scanners is that they can be used to process three-dimensional images .

•:.

Scanning Software
Most scanners are sold along with a software program that is used
to set the parameters for the scanning process and also provide
some editing capabilities. In addition, some graphics programs
such as PC Paintbrush IV Plus, Publisher's Paintbrush, and Halo
DPE can be used to control the scanner. For example, to scan an
image from PC Paintbrush Plus, you select the Scan option from
the Page menu. This brings up a dialog box that lets you specify
brightness, contrast, scanning mode, type of dithering, and resolution. Once you have selected the options you wish to use, you
select OK. The scanner then scans the picture and loads it automatically into PC Paintbrush IV Plus. With either of these
programs there is an option on the menu that allows you to select
the area of the page you want scanned. This pre-cropping is extremely useful, since it allows you to save storage space on your
hard disk by scanning less than the full 8.5- by I1-inch area. You
also can specify whether you are scanning line art or images, and
select a dithering pattern.
After you have used Paintbrush to scan the image, you can use
Paintbrush's graphics tools to clean up stray pixels or otherwise
alter the image. Then you can save it as a pex file, a format

Chapter 6: Scanners

85

recognized by Ventura. Other formats that can be used to store
scanned images are GEM IMG, EPS, and TIFF .

•:.

Black-and-White versus Grayscale Scanners
Lately, the scanner world has begun dividing up into two camps.
In one camp are scanners that save an image as an array of O's
and l's, with O's representing white and l's representing black.
Technically, this is known as saving an image in a single "bit
plane," since each pixel in the image is recorded with a single
digital bit, either 0 or 1.
The alternative is to record each pixel in the image as a number
between 0 and 256, where 0 stands for white, 256 for black, and
the numbers in between for shades of gray (some scanners set the
range from 0 to 16, others from 0 to 64, but the principle remains
the same). The most commonly used file formats for storing images, PCX (PC Paintbrush) and IMG (GEM Paint), can't handle this
sort of grayscale information. But a new format has been developed for grayscale images, called TIFF (Tagged Image File
Format), and Ventura 2.0 can handle images in that format.

• Displaying TIFF
One of the delights of TIFF images, provided you have a grayscale monitor such as a VGA (not an EGA or Hercules), is that
they are displayed with almost photographic realism. The irony,
which is explained later in this chapter, is that the image won't
look anywhere near as good when printed on a regular 300-dpi
laser printer. To get decent output of a TIFF image, you need to
move up to the resolution of a phototypesetter, preferably a 2540dpi Linotronic 300 rather than a 1690-dpi Linotronic 200.
An alternative output option is a board from Intel Corporation

called the Visual Edge. This board works with the HP LaserJet II
and requires that you have at least 2MB of EMS memory in your
computer. With the Visual Edge, you can print grayscaled images
of approximately newspaper quality: 80 dots per inch and 64

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

levels of gray. A Ventura driver and a PC Paintbrush driver are
provided with the board .

• Memory Demands
The lack of any cheap output devices is one factor that currently
limits the popularity of grayscaled images. Another is the enormous memory and storage demands that such images make on
the computer. For example, a 4-inch by 4-inch photograph
sampled by the scanner at 300 dpi with 256 levels of gray takes up
1.5MB of memory or storage. Fortunately, data compression techniques are available that can reduce the amount of storage by as
much as 85 percent. Still, if you're serious about scanning, you'll
need a big hard disk and a good method of archiving your pictures.

Tip 6-1---------------------------------------

What to Look for in a Scanning
Program
Here are some features that you should look for when buying
scanning software:
• What formats can it save in? In a grayscale scanner, l1FF is
mandatory; in a black-and-white scanner, you'll definitely
want PCX.
· Does it offer data compression?

· 1/ it's a grayscale scanner, can it save

256 levels of gray?
That's how many you'll need to print the full range of grays
available on a PostScript typesetter.

· 1/ it's a grayscale scanner, does it let you manipulate the
gray scales? Specifically, can you change the gray-value
curve to improve the appearance of a particular picture?
• Does it let you print a quick-and-dirty proof of the scanned
image? This is a critical time-saving feature.

Chapter 6: Scanners

87

Does it let you easily draw a box on your screen around the part
of the image you want to save? Manually typing in margins is the
awkward alternative.
Tip~2------------------------------------

What's the Best Grayscale
Editing Program?
The consensus faVOrite for grayscale editing programs is Xerox's
Gray/FX. Not only is it powerful, but it's easy to use. For access
information and a brief profile, see the "Graphics Software" section of Appendix A, "Resources."

.:.

The Problem with Laser Printers
Because laser printers do such a nice job of imitating typeset text,
you'd expect that they could also print photographs that look at
least as good as, say, a newspaper. After all, as anyone who has
looked at them closely knows, a photograph in a newspaper (and
in any other sort of publication as well) is actually just a matrix of
dots, right? The problem is that those dots in the newspaper
photo are of varying sizes. Television uses this same effect, varying the intensity of each pixel to create various shades of gray. So
does a grayscale monitor such as a VGA.
Unfortunately, there isn't yet a laser printer on the market that can
vary the size of its pixels (though that may change soon, with
reports appearing about new circuit boards that can tweak the
electronics of the laser printer and cause it to print pixels of different sizes).
To get around this limitation, laser printers resort to two techniques, "synthetic halftones" and "dithering." In a synthetic halftone, pixels are clumped together to create the appearance of
dots of varying size. In dithering, dots are printed in semi-random

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

patterns that are denser in darker areas of the picture, less dense
in lighter areas.
Neither technique produces very good results. In a synthetic halftone, the printer has to clump anywhere from 1 to about 36 pixels
together to form each dot, and therefore can't print 300 dots per
inch any more. With dithering, the random patterns give the picture a computer-made appearance.
The inevitable conclusion is that you should avoid scanning photographs and printing them on a laser printer, unless you're willing to settle for mediocre-quality images in your publication. Instead, it's best to simply create a block marking where the image
is to be placed, take the photograph to a graphic arts shop, and
have a halftone made.
However, if you're printing your publications on a PostScript imagesetter (preferably a Linotronic 300), you'll get great results. The
resolution of these machines is high enough that you can create a
160 dot-per-inch halftone with 256 levels of gray. While a resolution of 160 dpi may seem low, it's actually quite satisfactory for
almost any sort of publication, since halftones produced using
traditional methods range from around 75 to 150 dpi.

.:.

Scanning Line Art
Although laser printers can't handle shades of gray, they do a fine
job with black-and-white images. In the graphic arts, such pictures are called "line art." (Unfortunately, this term is used in a
different sense in Ventura. In the Load Text/Picture menu, "line
art" refers to object-oriented graphics formats such as CGM and
HPGL.) Scanners are great tools for digitizing any sort of line art
such as a logo or a piece of clip art. Simply save it in PCX or IMG
format, touch it up with PC Paintbrush IV Plus or some other
program, and load it into Ventura as an "image" file. (For more on
this, see Chapter 15, "Using Graphics.")

Chapter 6: Scanners

89

Tip~3--------------------------------------

Scanning Hardcopy Clip Art
Although this won't be news to graphic artists, others may be
surprised to learn that you can buy collections of professionallydrawn images, called clip art, in graphic arts stores and reproduce them to your heart's content in your publications. U7hy
doesn't this violate copyright laws? Because the clip art companies
obtain art from old books whose copyrights have expired, or else
they create it themselves and grant purchasers the right to reproduce it.

Profue-------------------------------------------

Hewlett-Packard ScanJet Plus
The Hewlett-Packard's ScanJet Plus uses the same sheet-fed
Canon engine as several other scanners, including Canon's own
model. But the ScanJet Plus has several distinguishing features.
First, the ScanJet is easy to install- no need to change any dip
switches. Second, the ScanJet can save 16 levels of gray, as opposed to just black and white for many other scanners. Third, the
ScanJet can actually scan up to 600 dots per inch. Fourth, the
software program provided for driving the ScanJet, called Scanning Gallery, is well implemented and packed with convenient
features. You can print either the whole image or a portion to
determine where to crop, then you can save in PCX or IMG format. IMG format can be imported directly into Ventura. Pictures in
PCX format can also be imported by Ventura, but in doing so
Ventura must first generate a matching IMG file, which eats up
space on your hard disk. For grayscaled images, Scanning Gallery
can save in TIFF format, which can also be imported into Ventura.

SECTION

THREE

Using Ventura

Managing Files
If you're like most people, your first exposure to personal computing was through word processing. When you use a word processing program, keeping track of files is simple, since each document you create is stored in exactly one file. When you need to
send a document in the mail or over a modem, you merely transfer that file onto a floppy disk using the DOS COpy command.
With Ventura, file management is no longer so simple. Any document you create will comprise at least several files, and in many
cases a dozen or more. Some of these are the text and graphics
files you created with other programs and now are merging together with Ventura. Others are files generated by Ventura itself.

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Text Files

Bitmapped Graphics Files

MultiMate or MS Word (OOC)
WordStar (WS)
ASCII or XyWrite(TXT)
Xerox Writer (XWP)
WordPerfect (WP)
OisplayWrite and Samna (OCA)

PC Paintbrush (PCX)
GEM Paint and Halo OPE (GEM)
MacPaint (PNT)
Tagged Image File Format (TIF)

/
Chapter File (CHP)

Contains pOinters to text, graphics,
and internally generated files.

/
Object Graphics Files

Files Generated By Ventura

Lotus and VideoShow (PIC)
CGM (CGM)
MacOraw (PCT)
AutoCAO Slide (SLO)
Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)
Hewlett-Packard Graphics
Language (HPG)
GEM Draw (GEM)
Mentor Graphics (P _)
Windows (WMF)

Style Sheets (STY)
Captions and Box Text (CAP)
Program Status (INF)
Publications (PUB)
Backups ($_)
Indexes and Tables of Contents
(GEN)
Print to Disk Files (COO)
Internal Graphics (VGR)

Figure 7-1: This schematic shows how the chapter file knits together other types offiles,
including text files, graphics files, and files generated by Ventura itself

Chapter 7: Managing Files

.:.

95

Why Pay Attention to Files?
It's easy....,- too easy, perhaps - to generate one document after
another and never pay any particular attention to the various
seemingly obscure files that Ventura generates as you go about
your work. Eventually, however, you will have to learn what
those files are and deal with them directly. Here are two examples
of when that might be necessary:
• If storage becomes tight on your hard disk, you'll need to
start removing some of the documents stored there, which
means removing the family of files associated with that document. One of the notable oversights in Ventura's design is
that the program provides no easy way to delete a chapter
and all its files. You'll have to do it using DOS commands.
• If you begin working with long documents or documents
that include multiple graphics, you'll probably run into difficulty at some point getting a chapter to load. In that situation, a potential solution (described in detail in the tips at
the end of this chapter) is to rename or move certain files
associated with the chapter .

•:.

Underlying Concepts
The key concept underlying Ventura's design is that a desktop
publishing program should act as a hub for other programs, rather
than being an all-powerful megaprogram. Hence Ventura does
not replace existing tools such as word processors and graphic
programs; instead, it provides avenues for you to import existing
text files and pictures into the program. This "don't reinvent the
wheel" philosophy is key to understanding the function of Ventura's chapter and style sheet files .

• Every Document is a Family of Files
Like Ventura, other desktop publishing programs merge graphics
and text, but typically they merge the various files into one im-

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

mense document file. Ventura's approach (and one of the keys to
its remarkable speed) is to keep all the files separate, but to manage them as a coordinated group. Thus every document is a
family of files. At the head of the family is the chapter file (CHP),
which contains pointers to the location and contents of the other
files. The categories and extensions of the other files shepherded
by the chapter file is shown in Figure 7-1.

.:.

The Chapter Flle
The job of the chapter file is to act as master of ceremonies for the
document. It contains pointers that keep track of the following:
• The text and graphics files that make up the contents of a
document.
• The style sheet file, in which Ventura stores the names of all
the tags and the formatting information associated with each
tag.
• The files generated by Ventura itself to store the contents of
captions and headers, internally generated graphics, and
other internal information.
Because Ventura's chapter file merely contains pointers to other
files, rather than absorbing them into one enormous master program, you can continue to edit and change those files even after
you have merged them to create a Ventura document. No matter
how much you scale or distort a graphic within the Ventura document, the graphics file itself remains completely unaltered. Text
files are altered somewhat, in that Ventura inserts the names of
tags as well as codes for character attributes such as boldface.
Generally speaking, the changes Ventura makes in original text
files do not get in the way of reusing the same files when you
have to revise the document - a real boon if you are creating
manuals that need to be periodically updated.
Another real benefit of Ventura's use of the chapter file as the hub
is that the text, graphics, and style sheet files used for a document
need not all be located in a single directory on the hard disk. The

Chapter 7: Managing Files

97

chapter file keeps track of the other files not only by name but by
location. Thus, you might use one picture for several different
documents, or apply the same style sheet to two different chapters .

•:.

The Style Sheet File
Style sheet files, identifiable by their STY extension, are devoted
mainly to storing the attributes of tags. In addition to storing tag
specifications, the style sheet file contains the page size and
orientation, widow and orphan settings, autonumbering settings,
footnote settings, and margin and column settings for the underlying page.
Each chapter uses one style sheet - you can't have more than
one style sheet attached to a single chapter at a time, even if the
chapter comprises several text files. On the other hand, you can
switch style sheets after you have formatted a chapter.

•:.

INF Files
While the chapter and style sheet files are the two main files
created by Ventura when you layout a document, a third set of
files should also be noted. These files include VP.lNF or VPWIN.lNF (depending on whether you are using the DOS/GEM or
Windows version), EGAFSTR.lNF or VGAFSTR.INF (depending
on whether you are using EGA or VGA screen fonts), and
EGAFHDR.INF or VGAFHDR.INF (also depending on the type of
screen fonts). All INF files are stored in the \ VENTURA directory.
Have you noticed that Ventura always remembers what preferences you have for whether a ruler is shown on the screen, what
directory you last looked into to find a graphics file, or whether
pictures are shown or hidden? Even if you quit the program, load
it again, and choose a different chapter to work on, those settings
will remain in force. Keeping track of the myriad of user-selectable options is the job of the INF files.

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

While the VP.INF or VPWIN.INF file contains most of the information on user-selectable defaults, EGAFSTRINF and VGAFHDRINF
contain information about screen fonts.
The main reason to know about the INF files is that deleting
VP.INF, VPWIN.INF, or EGAFSTRINF can "cure" certain maladies
that occasionally can strike your chapters. These problems and
their cures are described in Chapter 30, "Voodoo Tricks."

Tip ~1--------------------------------------

Loading Troublesome Chapters
by Deleting the VP.INF or
VPWIN.INF File
Sometimes the data in a chapter will become contaminated,
causing it to repeatedly crash or fail to load. When this happens,
try deleting the VP.lNF, VPPROFINF, or VPWlN.lNF file from your
Ventura directory. Although this will have the effect of deleting
your preferences for onscreen ruler, current printer, etc., it will
probably solve the problem you are having with your chapter.
(For more details on dealing with chapters that crash or fail to
load, see Chapter 30, ((Voodoo Tricks.")

Tip ~2--------------------------------------

Recovering Large Screen Fonts by
Deleting EGAFSTR.INF
On occasion Ventura appears to lose your large screen fonts.
When this happens, the type in large titles will be displayed by
smaller fonts. The reason for the problem is that Ventura did not
have enough memory available for its screen font buffer, perhaps
because too much memory was being taken up by a very large
chapter or by a memory-resident utility. The problem is most
likely to occur if you are using VGA screen fonts, since these take
up more memory than EGA screen fonts. The solution is to delete

Chapter 7: Managing Files

99

the EGAFSTR.lNF or VGAFSTR.lNF file from your Ventura directory. After you have done that, your large screen fonts will work
again. (For more details on recovered large screen fonts, see
Chapter 30, "Voodoo Tricks. ''J

Tip ~3-------------------------------------

Saving Multiple Default
Configurations
(DOS/GEM version)
Let's say that two people are sharing Ventura on one computer,
and each has a different set of defaults that he or she wants to
use. Or suppose that sometimes you want one set of fonts, and
sometimes you want another.
In the DOS/GEM version, the way to maintain two or more default configurations is to use your word processor to add the
following switch at the end of the VPBAT file: /I=DIRECTORY,
where DIRECTORY stands for any subdirectory you care to name.
You then give this edited batch file a new name, like VPl.BAT or
JANE.BAT and use the command VP 1 or JANE to start Ventura
whenever you want to use the alternate configuration. For example, jane's batch file, JANE.BAT might look like this:
CD C: \ VENTURA
DRVRMRGR VP %1 /S=SD_WY705 .EGA/M-23/I=C: \DEFAULTS

For more details on editing the VPBAT file, see AppendiX A of the
Ventura manual.

Tip ~4--------------------------------------

Saving Multiple Default
Configurations
(Windows version)
Let's say that two people are sharing Ventura on one computer,
and each has a different set of defaults that he or she wants to

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

use. Or suppose that sometimes you want one set of fonts, and
sometimes you want another.
In the Windows version, you'll need to use the Windows Program
Manager to modify the Ventura startup command. Within Windows, switch to the Program Manager (by pressing Alt-Esc) and
open up the group that contains the Ventura icon. Usually it is
the Applications group. Click once on the Ventura icon, then
select Properties from the File menu. Next to Description, it should
read
VPWIN

Next to Command Line, it should read
C:\VENTURA\VPWIN.EXE.

Change this line so that it reads
C: \ VENTURA \ VPWIN. EXE II=directory

where directory stands for the subdirectory where you want to
save the VPWlN.lNF file .

•:.

The PUB File
Most documents consist of a single chapter. At times, however,
you may want to group chapters together to take advantage of
Ventura's multichapter capabilities (sequential numbering, indexing, automatic table of contents). In that case, you'll work with the
Multichapter selection of the Options menu to create a publication (PUB) file. Note that you don't have to create a publication
file every time you generate a document with more than one
chapter. You can simply print one chapter at a time. As long as
you're not interested in automatic number, indexing, and table of
contents generation, you'll have no need to create a publication
file .

•:.

Other Files
Here are some of the other files that Ventura automatically
generates as it formats a document:

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101

• Caption files (CAP extension). These store not only text entered into captions, but also headers, footers, empty frames,
and text boxes.
• Backup files ($** extension). These files are automatically
created by Ventura as you work on a chapter. They are useful for reconstructing your document if the system locks up
or crashes.
• Generated files (GEN extension). These are text files created
by Ventura when you use the program's capability to generate an index or a caption .
• Print files (COO extension). This type of file is created on
your hard disk when you direct Ventura to print to a file
rather than sending information directly to the printer. It allows you to create documents on a computer that lacks an
attached printer. Later, you can print the file by typing
COpy filename.COO LPT1:

• Ventura Graphics files (VGR extension). These store graphics that you create using Ventura's graphics tools.

Tip ~5---------------------------------------

Renaming Backup Files
Using a backup file is easy. Just rename it so that the $ is replaced
by the appropriate letter. For example, $AP files become CAP files,
$IF files become CIF files, and $GRfiles become VGRfiles.

Tip ~6--------------------------------------

Controlling the Size of Print Files
If coo files

include downloaded fonts, they may well exceed the
size of even a 1.2MB floppy disk. To keep them at a manageable
size, avoid including downloaded fonts. Using Add/Remove Fonts
from the Options menu, make sure that all the fonts in your
document are deSignated as Resident. When you go to the typesetting service bureau with your print file, inform them that they

102

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

will have to download these fonts .

•:.

Pros and Cons
At this point it may already seem to you that Ventura's way of
splitting documents up into numerous files is needlessly complicated. The obvious question is: Why not simply have all the parts
of a document combined into one single document file?
As noted above, that is the method used by PageMaker and many
other desktop publishing programs. From the standpoint of easily
keeping track of things the method clearly has its merits. Ventura's
scheme, however, has these advantages:
• It is one of the major factors accounting for the program's

unrivaled speed.
• It allows files to be modified after they have been merged

together in a document. Since text and graphics files remain
separate and remain in their original formats, you can make
a small change in a drawing or a chart at the eleventh hour,
or continually update a manual even after you've laid it out.
But while Ventura's family-style way of dealing with files has its
distinct benefits, it also places a burden on you to organize your
hard disk in such a way that all those files don't lead to utter
chaos. We'll now turn, therefore, to a review of the tools at your
disposal for handling files, and to some suggestions regarding an
architecture for organizing those files on your hard disk.

.:.

Refresher on DOS
If you've avoided until now the chore of learning how directories,
paths, extensions, and filters work, you'll need to acquaint yourself with these terms as well as several DOS commands.
The DOS operating system provides a simple method for organizing computer files. At the highest level of organization are the
floppy and hard disk drives used by your system, which are as-

Chapter 7: Managing Files

103

signed letters, followed by a colon. Normally drives A and Bare
floppy disk drives. Drive C is normally a hard disk drive. Since
DOS cannot handle drives larger than 32MB, a 40MB hard disk is
typically partitioned into drive C and drive D. In addition, a block
of RAM can be set up to appear to the system as a very fast drive;
this is normally drive E.
Each drive, such as C or D, may contain files and directories. Each
directory may in turn contain additional subdirectories or files.
Any file can be described in terms of the directory and subdirectories in which it is located, and this is known as the path to the
file. Files are further identified by their names (up to eight characters) and an extension of three characters, which typically describes the type of program that created the file.

• Creating Directories
To create a new directory on drive C, let's say NEWDOCS, you
type the following from the DOS prompt:
MD C: \NEWDOCS

You can also do this within Ventura (DOS/GEM version) via the
DOS File Ops option in the Files menu. To create the NEWDOCS
file from Ventura, execute the following steps:
• From the File menu, select the DOS File Ops option.
• Backspace across the existing File Spec and type
C: \NEWDOCS

• Select MAKE DIRECTORY.
In the Windows version, you have two options for creating new
directories. One is to switch to the Main Menu of the Program
Manager by pressing Alt-Esc, and then clicking twice on the DOS
icon or the File Manager icon. If you decide to go the File Manager route, you can create directories from the File menu.
In both versions of Ventura, removing directories is similar to
creating directories. Remember, though, that before you can delete a directory you must first delete all the files in the directory.

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Once you have created a directory, you can create a subdirectory
within that directory. To create the subdirectory C:\NEWDOCS
\MARCH from the DOS prompt, you type
MD C:\NEWDOCS\MARCH
Alternatively, you can use Ventura's DOS File Ops or the Windows File Manager. Remember that you can't create the subdirectory C: \NEWDOCS\MARCH until you have created the directory
C:\NEWDOCS .

• Paths, Filters, and Wildcards
No matter which version of Ventura you use, it's useful to understand the concepts of paths, filters, and wildcards. In DOS, a path
is simply a sequence of directory names, separated by a backslash
C\). It's purpose is to indicate the location of a file. For example,
consider the following:
C:\NEWDOCS\MARCH\LETTER1.DOC
In this expression, C:\NEWDOCS\MARCH is the path. The expression means that on the C drive there is a directory called
\NEWDOCS, within which there is a directory called \ MARCH,
within which there is a file called LETTERl.DOC.
If you wanted to know the names of all the DOC files in the
MARCH directory, you could use the asterisk wildcard as follows:
DIRC:\NEWDOCS\MARCH\*.DOC
If you wanted to know the names of all the DOC files in the
MARCH directory that ended with the extension DOC or TOe,
you could type
DIRC:\NEWDOCS\MARCH\*.?OC
Notice the use of the question mark as a wildcard. Whereas the
asterisk can stand for any number of characters, the question
mark substitutes for a single character. Thus, it provide a more
precise way of locating files.

Chapter 7: Managing Files

Figure 7-2: In
Windows version's
dialog boxes, directories are listed on
the right and files
in the current path
are listed on the
left. Thefilter is
shown on top and
the path is shown
on the right.

105

OPEN FILE

File Name:
authors.chp
backordr.chp
bankl.chp
bank2.chp
bitstrml.chp
bltstrm2.chp
bookllfe.chp
brooksl.chp
catl.chp
cat2.chp
cat3.chp
cat4.chp
christl.chp
clipartl.chp

IBm

I

Any expression that uses wildcards to limit the number of files
being show is called a filter. For example, when you select Open
Chapter from Ventura's File menu, Ventura automatically uses the
filter *.CHP, so that only chapter files will be listed. In the Windows Ventura dialog box shown in Figure 7-2, the path (c:\document) is shown above the list on right. That list tells you all the
directories that are contained within c: \ document as well as containing [.. ], [a], and [c]. If you select [.. ], Ventura will take you one
level higher on the path, in other words, to the root directory of
the C drive. Alternatively, you can click directly on [a] or [c] to go
directly to the root directories of those drives.
Unlike the Windows version, the DOS/GEM version doesn't provide separate lists of directories and files within the current path.
Instead, it shows both directories and files in one list. You can tell
the two apart because Ventura puts a diamond (.) in front of
directory names (see Figure 7-3). In addition, file names usually,
though not always, have an extension, while directory names
usually do not.

106

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

ITEM SElECllI

ITEM SELECTOR

Directory: D:\TYPESET\*,CJIl

Directory: D:\*,ClfJ
Selection:

&m-P1,ClfJ
&m-P2,CIIl
&IIRO-12 ,CHP

8BRO-P3 ,DIl
8IftIJ-P1 ,CIfI
8lST6-P2,CIfI
8lTR1-P1,CIIl
DAi-P3 ,Ctfl
&HEWS -P2 ,DIl

Selection: ~,_

~,-

m
! Cancel!

+11 __ ,_
• CCPIH_,_
• FIffAl_,_
• FORMDIR_,_
• GLYPHIH_,_
• ttOOlETR, + rtWSlTR_,_
• PClPAK_,_

+ REPlIU2_,_

ITEM SElECTIl

ITEM SELECTOR

Directory: D:\*,CHP

Directory: A:\*,CfII
Selection:

~,-

• c:
• D:

m
! Cancel!

m
! Cancel!

Selection: ~,_

--'--'--'--'--'-

-----

m

! Cancel I

ITEM SElECTIl
Directory: A:\*,CIfl_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Selection: HARDtlARE,CtIlj

Figure 7-3: This sequence shows the use

--'-

--'--'-

of the Backup Button (.) to change
directories and select a file. Once the
correct file is shown on the Selection line,
you can select it by clicking on OK or
pressing Enter.

Chapter 7: Managing Files

.:.

107

The Backup Button (DOS/GEM Version)
Many DOS operations, especially searches for files using filters,
can actually be conducted from within Ventura. Whenever you
load a text file, a chapter, a style sheet, or an illustration, you can
save a great deal of time if you learn to use Ventura's easy "stepladder" method of climbing up and down directory hierarchies.
The method, which can be used in any dialog box that contains a
Directory line on top and a Selection line on the right, is shown in
Figure 7-3.
Let's say you're looking for a chapter file (one with the CHP
extension) but aren't sure where it is located on the hard disk. Do
the following steps:
• From the File menu, select Open Chapter. Notice that Ventura automatically displays the *.CHP filter on the Directory
line.
• Place the cursor on the small black square, known as the
Backup Button, in the corner of the scrolling list. As shown
in Figure 7-3, each time you click on the Backup Button,
you move one rung up the ladder; i.e., one level upward in
the hierarchy of directories. After you click on it once or
twice, the scrolling box will list the drives on your system A, B, C, etc.
The diamond in front of the A, B, and C indicates that these are
directories, not files. Now you can climb back down the directory
hierarchy and see the contents of a particular drive.
o

o

o

Select the drive on which you installed Ventura. In most
cases that will be drive C.
The scrolling box will now list all the directories in the C
drive, as well as all the files in the root directory of the C
drive that have the CHP extension.
Select the TYPESET directory. The scroll bar now displays
the list of chapter files in that directory.

108

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• You can now select a chapter from that list. The name will
appear in the Selection line at the right. You can now
choose that file by pressing Enter or selecting OK.

•:.

Hands Off \ TYPESET
When you install Ventura, two directories are automatically
created on your hard disk: \ VENTURA and \ TYPESET. The former
contains all the program files and fonts, the latter the sample
chapter files and style sheets.
You'll find yourself frequently using the style sheets provided with
the program, since it's generally easier to modify an existing style
sheet than to create one from scratch for the specific sorts of
documents you are formatting. Be careful, however, to always
save a modified style sheet under a new name. Also, it's highly
recommended that you save the modified style sheet in a directory other than \ TYPESET, as described below.
By renaming style sheets before you save them, you'll preserve
the original style sheets for future use. If, however, you have
already modified one of those style sheets and wish to restore the
original version to the \ TYPESET directory, you can copy it from
the Examples disk.

.:.

Two Organization Strategies
As I mentioned above, it's not a wise idea over the long run to
save the chapters and style sheets you create in the TYPESET
directory. Doing so will very quickly cause the number of files in
that directory to grow to an unmanageable size and cause real
problems later when you have to move files off your hard disk.
Therefore, you need to develop an effective structure for files on
your hard disk so that you can easily locate the family of files that
makes up each chapter. Of course, no single method of organizing a hard disk is appropriate for every type of work. I'll suggest

Chapter 7: Managing Files

109

two here; you may find others that work better for your needs.
The point is to have a deliberate system .

•:.

Plan I: A File Strategy for Short Documents
Perhaps the simplest way of avoiding confusion on your hard disk
is by means of the following method:
• Create a directory on your hard disk to contain all your Ventura documents;
• Within that directory, create a unique subdirectory to hold
all the files associated with a particular chapter.
This method is good for fairly short documents - i.e., those consisting of a single chapter. This applies to forms, business reports,
short technical manuals, and newsletters. Later in this chapter,
we'll cover a different method that is suitable for longer documents, such as books and technical manuals.
Figure 7-4 illustrates the first method. On the hard disk, the directory that holds all the Ventura documents is \ VPDOCS. Within
that directory, a subdirectory is created to hold each new chapter.
These subdirectories are given names that identify the type of
document within. For example: \FORMl, \ FORM2, \BKl, \BK2,
\ BK3, \ BK8, etc. If necessary, you might set up even more levels.
Within each subdirectory are all the files associated with a given
chapter: document files, a chapter file, caption files, a style sheet
file, image files, etc.
One big benefit of isolating all the files associated with a document is that it automatically provides protection for the style used
with that document. Otherwise, if you alter a tag within one publication, perhaps to make the text fit the needs of that document's
pagination, you will also affect any other publications you have
saved that share the same style sheet.
Another benefit of the one-chapter-per-subdirectOlY principle is
that it allows you to easily move documents from one system to

110

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

another or to take documents off the hard disk for floppy disk
archiving when more room needs to be created on the hard disk.
Here are the specific steps to implement the system I've described
above:
• From the DOS prompt, create a directory for all your Ventura documents. Type
MD \VPDOCS

• Before beginning work on a document with Ventura, create
a new directory to hold the document. For example, if the
document is a report, type
NO \VPDOCS\REPORTl

Copy all text and graphics files into the document directory.
• After you enter Ventura, load the master style you want to
use from the \ TYPESET directory by selecting Load Diff.

Root
directory

C:\

Directory for
Ventura
documents

\VPDOCS

Subdirectories
(each contains
one chapter)

i

Contents of

a
subdirectory

DOC1.CHP
\DOCl
DOC1.TXT
\DOC2
DOCl.PCX
\DOC3
DOCl.STY

Figure 7-4: A suggested directory structure for Single-chapter documents such as
newsletter:,~ form:,~

and directories.

Chapter 7: Managing Files

111

Style from the File menu. Place the cursor on the Directory
line, press Escape to remove the entry that is already there,
and type
C: \TYPESET\ *. STY
to see the list of styles. Select the style you want to use as
the master template for this document. With that style showing on the Selection line, select OK or press Enter.
• Select Save As New Style from the File menu. Place the cursor on the Directory line, press Escape to clear the line, and
type
C:\VPDOCS\REPORTI

Then on the Selection line type
REPORTl.STY

and select OK.
• From the File menu, select Save As. Enter
C:\VPDOCS\REPORTI

on the Directory line. On the Selection line type
REPORTl.CHP

and select OK.
If you follow the above steps, each chapter you create will have
its own unique directory, containing all the text and graphics files
associated with that chapter, along with all the files generated by
Ventura itself.

•:.

Plan IT: A File Strategy for Long Documents
Now let's consider a different procedure that is more appropriate
for long documents containing many chapters. It is illustrated in
Figure 7-5. In this method you still create a new directory for each
document, but not for each chapter of that document. Instead,
within the document directory you create a subdirectory for all
text files, a subdirectory for all graphics files, and a subdirectory
for all style sheets and chapter files. Other files generated by
Ventura will automatically be stored with the chapter files.

112

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Root
directory

Subdirectories
(each
contains
one
document)

Separate
subdirectories for
chapter (and
Interna/), style,
picture, and text
files

Chapter,
style sheet,
and Ventura
generated
files

Figure 7-5: A suggested directory structure for mulitple-chapter documents such as books

and technical manuals .

•:.

Archiving and Transferring Documents
Often it is necessary to transfer all the files associated with a
document from one computer system to another. This might be
necessary, for example, if the computer used to create the document is not hooked up to a laser printer. Another task that is
frequently necessary is to archive all the files associated with a
document onto a floppy disk to clear some room on the hard
disk.
If you have stored all the files associated with a document in a
single directory unique to that document, it is a relatively simple
matter to use the DOS Copy command to transfer all the files from
that directory onto a formatted blank disk. But watch out: when
you later recopy these files onto another computer or back onto

Chapter 7: Managing Files

113

the same computer, they must be placed back into a directory
with the identical name. For example, if they were originally in
C:\VPDOCS\BOOK5 on computer A, they will have to be copied
into directory C:\ VPDOCS\BOOK5 on computer B.
Why is it necessary to replace them in an identical directory when
you use the DOS Copy command to move them? The reason is
that Ventura's master file, the .CHP file, keeps track of all the files
that make up a document both by name and by directory. If one
of the text files that makes up a document is moved to another
directory, the program will not be able to find it.
There's another way to transfer documents, which has the advantage of not requiring you to have the same subdirectories on
both the source and the destination computer. It is to use MultiChapter option (DOS/GEM version) or the Manage Publication
option (Windows version) .

•:.

Using Multi-Chapter or Manage Publication
for Backups
In general, moving the files for a chapter onto a floppy and then
back onto a hard disk is best done with the Multi-Chapter selection in the Options menu (DOS/GEM version) or the Manage
Publication selection in the File menu (Windows version).
Despite its name, Multi-Chapter or Manage Publication can and
should be used even for backing up a single chapter. Its usefulness is that it automatically finds all the files associated with a
given chapter, transfers them to the new location, and alters the
pointers in the CHP file to reflect that new location.
You should use the Multi-Chapter or Manage Publication selection
no matter which direction you're going: both when you copy a
document from a hard disk onto a floppy disk, and when you
copy a document from a floppy disk onto a hard disk. Also, you
can use it to copy a document into a new directory if you reOfganize YOUf hard disk and find this necessary.

114

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

I.

I

Hide
Hide
Hide
Show
Hide
Show

m

HULTI·CHAPTER OPERATIONS

Set Preferences ••.
Set Ruler •.•
Set Printer Info .. .
Add/RelllolJe Fonts .. .
Side·Bar
.. W
Rulel"S
(olullln 6uides
All Pictures
Tabs & Returns . . T
Loose Lines

Turn (oluliln Snap Off
Turn line Snap On
Multi-Chapter ...

Save" ,
Save ~s .. ,
....................................
'II

••.

ReMve 'hap
Pr.int, , ,

Itlke TOC",
Itlke Index, ..

•

RenullUler" ,
CCrlY ~.1l" ,

I"

[]9]LJ

Figure 7·6: In the DOS/GEM version, use the Multi-Chapter option for backups.

MULTI-CHAPTER

.Q.pen Chapter...

F:\TYPESET\UNTlTlED,PUB

Save As ...

.load Text/Picture ...
Loa!!. Diff. Style .. .
Sa~e Style As .. .
Manage Width Table ...
Printer Setyp ...
Erint. ..

Mode: Publication
Publication Rle Operations:

mifliji,lM l~i"ij$.illlii,\(mii.ilJ liiilIKlllflfii'-ii.lM
Processing Operations:

lr:::;,i~i=]b=::JIl=··;~=·Jt""'@llw.lilt.ml

Wili@i.fiWmifllf.;jijli!i!.;W:iil

Exit

Figure 7- 7: In the Windows version, use the Manage Publication option for backups.

Here are the steps to follow to copy all the files associated with a
chapter onto a floppy:
• DOS/GEM: From the Options menu, select Multi-Chapter
(Figure 7-6). Windows: From the File menu, select Manage
Publication (Figure 7-7) .
• Select Add Chapter in the dialog box (Figure 7-6 or 7-7).
Note: From here on out, we'll just be showing the dialog
box for the DOS/GEM version. If you're using the Windows

115

Chapter 7: Managing Files

version, don't worry - it looks different, but everything
works exactly the same.
• Select the appropriate Chapter file and press OK (Figure 7-8).
• The screen will now show the name of the Chapter file you
have selected, as shown in Figure 7-9. In the DOS/GEM version, you now have to click on the Chapter name. If you do
not confirm your selection by clicking on the Chapter name,
you will not be able to access the Copy All feature.
• Select Copy All (Figure 7-10).
• The screen should list as Source the letter of your hard disk,
the directory that your chapter file is in, and the name of

ITEM SELECTOR
Director!}: (:\UB\2C·3\*.CHP_________

Figure 7-8

• m::::::::~::::::::: *. CHP

::::::::::::::::::::

-lJ:fHM'M'
HORIZ .CHP

~

UERTI CA L. (HP

-

LAYOUT .CHP
PAGINATE.CHP
STYLE .CHP
TEn
.CHP

..... _.... _....._............ '_..........

Figure 7-9

Selection: FI LES

.(HPI

~

.

OK
I Cancel I

rn

MULTI·CHAPTER OPERATIONS
::::::::::::::::::;::::::E=' 0:

..

YPESET UHTI
c: WB\2C· 3\FILES. C Q

ED. PUB

::,:::::::::::~::::::=:,:::::

Hew

Open
Close

Save •••
Save As •••
Add Chapter .••
Relllove Chap
~rint"
Ma~ie

,

Toe",

Make tilde>?",
Remll~ber , , ,

Co

All ...

U2EU

116

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Figure 7-10

MULTI·CHAPTER OPERfHlONS
:=~::::=:::::::=:==:~",

ew

Open
Clam?

C: \UB\ZC· 3\FIlES. CHP

Save •••
Save As •••
Add Chapter •••
Refllove Chap
Print •..
Make TOC",
Ma~;e lnce>:",
Reml1~ber, , ,

Figure 7-11

ill

COPY ALL
SOURCE (frofll this file)
PUB or CHP:

C:\UB\2C·3\FILES.CHP _ _ _ _ _ __

PUB & CHPs:
STYs & WIDs:
TeKt Files:
Graphic Files:
hage Files:

A:~'I-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

DESTINATION (to these directories)
A:\
A:\'------------A:\_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
A:\._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

(olllllland: I Hake All Dlrectorles the Sallie As the hrst I

your chapter file, as shown in Figure 7-11. Change the first
destination point to A: \ . You can save time by selecting the
option to Make All Directories the Same. Select OK. Then sit
back and relax while Ventura copies your files .

•:.

Restoring a Chapter from a Floppy to a
Hard Disk
Restoring a chapter back onto a hard disk is similar to the above
operation, but it is a little more complicated. The steps are as
follows:

117

Chapter 7: Managing Files

o

DOS/GEM: From the Options menu, select Multi-Chapter.

Windows: From the File menu, select Manage Publication.
o

o

o

o

Select Add Chapter. The dialog box will display the drive
letter of the hard disk together with a directory name. Select
drive A.
Ventura will now display a list of the chapter files on the
floppy. Select the one you wish to copy and select OK. Now
that chapter will appear in the list. In the DOS/GEM version,
you now have to click on the chapter name to make Copy
All light up.
Select Copy All.
A dialog box will appear indicating a source and a destination. The source should be the name of your chapter file in
drive A. Type the desired location in the first line and then
select Make All Directories the Same As the First. Select OK.

Tip ~7------------------------------------

File Search Utilities (DOS/GEM)

a

Because the various files that make up document can be stored
in different subdirectories, you may at times find it difficult to
locate a particular file. Two handy utilities for such circumstances are WHEREIS. COM and WHIZ.EXE. Both are available
from most public domain software collections, and they're both
quite easy to use. WHIZ is reportedly much faster than WHEREIS.
Tip~8------------------------------------

The File Search Utility (Windows)
The Windows File Manager includes a handy utility for locating
any file on your hard disk. Select Search from the File menu in
File Manager. Then type the name of the file you're looking for,
using the asterisk and question mark wildcards if necessary.

118

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip ~9--------------------------------------

When to Use DOS Copy Rather
Than the Multi-Chapter or
Manage Publication Option
You can save time by using the DOS Copy command to move a
chapter from one computer to another under the following conditions:

. If all the files used for the chapter are located in a single
directory.

. If that directory is the same on computers A and B.
If both conditions are met, you can simply use the command
COpy *. * to copy the contents of the directory onto a floppy disk,
and then use COpy *. * again to copy them from the floppy onto
the second computer.

Tip ~10--------------------------------------

Directory Limits
Having too many files stored in a single directory can slow your
system down dramatically. The number varies according to how
many buffers you have specified in your CONFIG.syS file and
also depends on whether you are using a disk caching program
(the latter will tend to mitigate the problem). As a rule of thumb,
however, you should avoid having more than 200 files in any
directory.
The place where you will run up against this limit most quickly is
in the directory that stores your chapter files. For example, let's
say you have created a manual that contains 35 chapters. To
store each chapter, Ventura creates a CHP file, a CIF file, and a
CAP file. It may also store one or more CEN and VCR files. On
average, you can count on there being about 5 files for each
chapter, which means that your 35 chapters actually amount to
175 files in the chapter directory. And remember: that's not

Chapter 7: Managing Files

119

counting text files, graphics files, and style sheet files, just files
generated by Ventura and automatically saved to the same directory as the CHP file.
The best way to avoid ending up with a directory that is too
clogged is simply to keep an eye on the number offiles, and set up
a new directory when the number gets past 150 or so .

•:.

File Management Utilities
If you use Ventura often, you'll soon find that its way of handling
files can lead to confusion. And for those working in a publication
group, with text files and even entire chapters circulating from
one computer to another, the confusion is compounded many
times over. Fortunately, three utilities, VP Manager, VP Mover, and
VPToolbox, can ride herd over your files.
VP Manager is aimed at workgroups. It is a memory-resident program that pops up from within Ventura and provides various ways
of categorizing and tracking a document as it moves through
successive stages of editing and formatting. The program is described in detail in Chapter 27, "Utilities."
VP Mover makes it easier to transfer your chapters, along with all
associated files, from one directory to another. For details, see
Chapter 27, "Utilities."
VPToolbox, keeps track of which files are associated with which
other files, deleting files that are no longer needed, and identifying files by date, time, and contents. The program is discussed at
length in Chapter 9, "Working with Style Sheets." The following
are some of the most important file management capabilities of
VPToolbox:
• Lists all the files associated with a chapter, tells where they
are located, tells how big they are, and tells how many
words are in text files;
• Lets you delete, move, or copy a chapter, including all the
text and graphics files associated with that chapter;

120

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• Allows you to add comments to chapters, making it easier to
identify them at a later date without going into Ventura;
• Prints out a list of the files associated with a particular chapter.

Preparing)
Loading) and
Editing Text
While graphics are certainly a big part of Ventura, text is the meat
and potatoes of publishing. This chapter covers the basics of preparing text with a word processor, importing it into Ventura, and
editing it within Ventura .

•:.

Creating Text
To create text, you can use any of the most popular word processing programs. In addition, you can use Ventura's native text
editor to type text directly into a document. As of Version 3.0, the
list of word processor file formats that can be imported includes
WordPerfect 4.2, WordPerfect 5.0 and 5.1, WordStar, WordS tar UK,
Microsoft Word, MultiMate, Xerox Writer III, and XyWrite. In addi-

122

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Text Preparation Guidelines

Line Endings

Text Attributes

Text Attributes That Carryover
info Ventura

•

boldface, superscript, subscript, strikethrough, underline,
discretionary hyphen, and
nonbreaking space.

ASCII Text
•

Separate paragraphs with two
carriage returns.

•

Import into Ventura as an
ASCII file.

Attributes That Ventura Ignores
Word Processed Text
•

justification, margins, centering, headers, and fonts.

•

Separate paragraphs with one
carriage return;
or
Separate paragraphs with two
carriage returns and include
@PARAFILTR ON = as the first
line of the file before importing.

•

Import into Ventura under the
appropriate word processor
format.

Tabs
•

Tab characters are carried
over, but positions set for tabs
in the word processor are not.

Table 8-1: The main rules of thumb for preparing text prior to importing it into Ventura.

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

123

tion, files in DCA (Document Content Architecture) version 2.0
can also be imported. Word processors that can produce text in
DCA format include Displaywrite III and IV, Volkswriter 3, Office
Writer, WordStar 2000, Samna Word, and Lotus Manuscript.
Unfortunately, the Windows version cannot import text directly
from Word for Windows. You have to save your Word for Windows files in ASCII or DOS Word format before importing them.

Text Limitations

Size of

4MB

2MB without EMS. If the size of the file exceeds available memory, it will be spilled
out to the hard disk (or to a RAM disk).
When this happens, you'll notice a definite reduction in performance even if the
file is smaller than 2MB.

1,000 per 16K

This is an approximate figure that depends on how much memory is taken for
other uses such as graphics.

Imported
Files

Number of
Paragraphs
Per Chapter

of memory

Number

128

of Tags Per

Chapter

The number of tags that can be included
in a style sheet is 128. This includes tags
you have created and tags generated by
Ventura. In addition if the text you are
importing includes tags that are not included In the current style sheet they too
will be counted. If the total is more than
128, the file will not be loaded.

Table 8-2: Limitations for imported files, paragraphs per chapter, and tags per chapter.

124

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

In addition to regular word processed files, Ventura also has the
capability to load spreadsheet print files (PRN extension) directly
into tables. This feature is discussed in Chapter 11, "Tables."
Finally, Ventura can load plain ASCII text, which means that you
can format Sidekick note files, Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets, dBASE
files, and files created by other spreadsheet and database programs. Generally, converting the output of such programs into
ASCII fC?rmat is done by creating a print file,. that is, by specifying
a file on your hard disk rather than the printer itself as the printing
destination. For example, in Lotus 1-2-3, the command sequence
to create a print file is /Print File. When you create a print file,
make sure you first set your margins to zero.

Tip 8 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Importing Troublesome ASCII
Files
Ventura refuses to import some ASCII files and instead responds
with the error message "You're trying to load a file containing a
paragraph that is larger than 8000 characters. This has corrupted memory, so quit as soon as possible." The reason for this
error message is that Ventura expects to see a single hard return
at the end of each line of an ASCII file and a double hard return
separating paragraph. But some ASCII files don't have a hard
return at the end of each line and only have a single hard return
at the end of each paragraph, leading Ventura to think that the
whole file is a Single enormous paragraph. The solution is to tell
Ventura that the file is a WordStar file.
In the case of dBASE III Plus, the way to create text for import is
to use the TO FILE option with either the REPORT command or
the LABEL command.

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

.:.

125

Attributes: Converted and Ignored
In preparing text that will later be imported into Ventura, the
following attributes in the word processed file will be automatically carried over when that file is loaded into Ventura: boldface,
superscript, subscript, strikethrough, underline, discretionary hyphen, and nonbreaking space. Discretionary hyphens are hyphens that will only be printed if they occur at a line break.
Nonbreaking spaces are spaces that will not be broken by automatic word wrap; they are used if you want to keep a particular
combination of words all on the same line.
Other formatting done using your word processing program will
not cany over once you have loaded a text file into Ventura. And
when you save the chapter containing that file, the formatting will
be lost in the original file. This implies that when you prepare text
for Ventura you shouldn't waste time setting margins, centering
headlines, and the like.
On the other hand, it is possible to embed a variety of special
formatting codes in text files, a procedure known as "preformatting." Preformatting may be appropriate in work environments
where writers and editors need to specify celtain formatting information to the production staff. By embedding the appropriate
codes in your text files, you can specify words to be printed in
boldface, for example, or lines to be bulleted. The topic of embedded codes is covered below. First, however, we need to mention a couple of peculiarities in how Ventura handles line endings
and tabs.

Tip 8 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Avoid Double Spaces
Ifyou ever took a typing course, you were probably taught to type
two spaces after every sentence. When preparing text for Ventura,
you should avoid doing so or else do a search and replace to get
rid of double spaces. The reason is that Ventura converts the first

126

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

space into a normal space but converts the second space into a
non-breaking space .

•:.

Line Endings
In standard ASCII format, line endings are indicated with a carriage return, the same character used by Ventura to denote the
end of a paragraph. Obviously, it wouldn't make sense for Ventura to make each line of the ASCII text file a separate paragraph,
so Ventura simply ignores any isolated carriage returns it encounters. When the program encounters two carriage returns in a
row, however, it substitutes a paragraph break. Thus, when creating an ASCII file, press Enter twice to separate your paragraphs.
With spreadsheets, you do want every line of information to constitute a separate paragraph once the file is imported into Ventura;
otherwise, separate lines would run together and wrap around
continuously rather than breaking. The solution here, after creating a print file from Lotus, is to load the file into Ventura as a
WordStar file.
Unlike ASCII, most word processor formats do not use a carriage
return to indicate a new line. Like Ventura itself, they reserve the
carriage return command to indicate new paragraphs. Thus, Ventura doesn't have to filter out solitary carriage returns from such
files. With ASCII files, it was recommended above that you press
Enter twice between each paragraph. With files in word processor
formats, that's not necessary; in fact, if your files do have two
carriage returns between every paragraph those carriage returns
will result in an extraneous blank paragraph once the file has
been imported.
Many people, of course, are in the habit of pressing Enter twice
between paragraphs in order to make the text more readable. You
can continue to do that if you embed the following command on
the first line of your text file:
@PARAFILTR ON

=

with spaces both before and after the equal sign. When it en-

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

127

counters this command, Ventura will automatically replace double
carriage returns with paragraph breaks .

•:.

Beware of Tabs
Ventura does allow you to include tabs in your word processed
document. However, as discussed in Chapter 10, "Formatting
Text," tabs are handled differently by Ventura than by word
processing programs. For example, a tab placed in justified text
will be ignored. And a tab placed in unjustified text will prevent
that text from wrapping onto a second line. So, unless you need
to use them for a table or for some other special purpose, avoid
including tabs in the files you import. In particular, do not use a
tab to indent the first line of a paragraph. Instead, use the In/Outdent setting from the Alignment dialog box (in the Paragraph
menu) to set your indents.

Tip 8 - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Embedding Tabs in Text Files
with <9>
If the regular tabs that you're placing in your text files don't seem
to be importing properly into Ventura, try embedding Ventura's
tab code <9> in the text files instead. if your word processor uses
five spaces for tabs, do a search and replace for each occurrence
of five spaces and replace the spaces with <9>. If the tabs still
don't work, make sure that the paragraph you're trying to place
a tab in is not justified and make sure each of the tabs is turned
on in the Tab Setting menu .

•:.

Dashes and Quotation Marks
Remember high school typing class, when they taught you to type
an Em dash as two hyphens? The reason was that the standard
typewriter keyboard did not include a true Em dash mark (-).

128

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

That deficiency has carried over to the standard computer keyboard, which also lacks an Em dash. Similarly, the keyboard lacks
true open-and-closed quotation marks.
Within Ventura's text editor, you can enter an Em dash by holding
down the Alt key while typing 197 on the numeric keypad. Alternatively, if you include the number 197 in angle brackets (like
this: <197» when you originally create the document, Ventura
will automatically replace the <197> with a dash. An even simpler
way to include an Em dash in a document is simply to type two
hyphens in the original document. Then load the document. If
you have selected "Auto-Adjustments: " and - -" (or Both) under
Set Preferences in the Options (DOS/GEM version) or Edit (Windows version) menu, all double hyphens will be converted to Em
dashes, and all paired quotation marks will be converted to true
quotation marks. Ventura uses a special algorithm to determine
whether to convert quotation marks. Obviously, it doesn't make
any sense to convert every instance of " to true quotation marks,
since this piece of punctuation by itself is used to indicate seconds
and double primes.
According to some typographers, there should be no space on
either side of an em dash-like this. Other typographers prefer
that there be a thin space on either side -like this. If you prefer
the latter, you can use search-and-replace to embed the code for
a thin space in your document. The code is < I >, or you can insert
the thin spaces in Ventura with Ctrl-Shift-T.

Tip 8 - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Makeshift Quotation Marks
Some fonts, including those that use the unextended ASCII character set and those that use Hewlett-Packard's Roman-B character set, lack true open-and-closed quotation marks. In many
cases, the following is an easy solution. For left quotation marks,
type the grave accent, located in the upper left corner of your
keyboard under the tilde (-), twice; for right quotation marks,

129

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

c

Figure 8-1:

Codes embedded
in text files can
contain a variety
of information. In
this example from
Microsoft Word,
code A causes
Ventura to ignore
any double
carriage returns it
finds in the
document; B is
an embedded tag
name; and C is
the code for an
open quotation
mark. Note at D
that no embedded
tag is necessary
for Body Text.

@PARAFILTR 0"

*
*

=

process i ng programs.

I edttudlYfI}
In addition, yot can use Ventura' ~ !169>natte text
tuype text(197)mire L 9 inLo
document.

it
As of
Version 2.8, the ist of word processor file formats that
can be imported in udes WordPerfect 4.2, WordPerfect 5,8,
WordStar, WordStar U Microsoft Word, MultiMate, Xerox
Writer III, and XyWrite II and IV. In addition, files in
DCA (Document Content Arc 'tecture) version 2.8 can also be
imported. Word processors t t can produce text in DCA
format include Displaywrite I
and IV, VoIkswriter 3,
Office Writer, WordStar 2888, Sa a Word, and Lotus
-===============::::!-.===========TEXT. DOC
{.}
Microsoft Word
Pd Co38

D

type the apostrophe twice. Whether this works or not depends on
the typeface. In some typefaces the grave accent does not match
the apostrophe, while in others it does .

•:.

Embedding Formatting Information
Embedded formatting is a topic that you don't need to concern
yourself with while you are learning Ventura. At first, you can
simply create your text with your word processing program and
do all the formatting within Ventura. However, after you become
proficient at formatting within Ventura, you may decide to explore the possibilities for embedding special formatting codes in
your original text files. There are two possible reasons for using
embedded formats:
• In organizations where one work group prepares text and a
different work group lays it out with Ventura, embedded

130

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Embedded Codes
Breaks and Spaces
Line Break ......................................................................................... 
Discretionary Hyphen ...................................................................... <->
Non-Breaking Space ...................................................................... 
Thin Space ....................................................................................... < I >
Figure Space ................................................................................... <+>
En Space .......................................................................................... <->
Em Space ......................................................................................... <_>
Tab .................................................................................................... <9>

Character Attributes
Boldface ........................................................................................... 
Italics .................................................................................................. 
Medium Weight ............................................................................. 
Light Weight ......................................................................................
Small ................................................................................................. 
Underline .......................................................................................... 
Double Underline ............................................................................ <=>
Overscore ....................................................................................... <0>
Superscript ....................................................................................... < A >
Subscript ........................................................................................... 
Color Index (where 0 is white, 1 black, 2 red,
3 green, 4 blue, 5 cyan, 6 yellow, 7 magenta) ....................... 
Reset to Original Color ............................................................ 
Turn Off Special Attributes ............................................................. 
Typeface (where n is the typeface ID number) ....................... 
Reset to Original Typeface .......................................................
Baseline Jump ............................................................................... 
Kerning/Tracking ........................................................................ 
End Kerning .................................................................................
Point Size ........................................................................................ 
Return to Original Point Size .................................................... 

Table B-3: These codes can be used to format text with a word proce!!.'Sor prior to importing.

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

131

Special Codes
Footnote ................................................................... <$Ftext of footnote>
Picture Anchor (same page) .................................. <$&anchor name>
Picture Anchor (below) ....................................... <$&anchor name[v»
Picture Anchor (above) ...................................... <$&anchor name[J\»
Picture Anchor (automatic) ................................. <$&anchor name[-»
Hidden Text ................................................................................ <$!text>
Hollow Box .................................................................................... <$BO>
Filled Box ....................................................................................... <$Bl>
Current Chapter Number ..................................................... <$R[C#»
Current Page Number ........................................................... <$R[P#»
Fraction ......................................................... <$Enumerator/denominator>
Fraction ................................................ <$Enumerator over denominator>
Index ............. <$Primary[Primary sort);Secondary[Secondary sort»

Table B-3 (continued)

formatting may provide a way of giving the first work group
a larger role in formatting text.
• Embedding codes, especially with the aid of a keyboard
macro program, is frequently faster than doing the formatting within Ventura .

• Tags
To apply a tag to a paragraph, type the @ sign, then the name of
the tag, then a space, then the = sign, then another space. Note:
the @ sign must be in the first line and column of the paragraph.
Figure 8-1 shows an example of a text file with embedded tags .

• Breaks and Spaces
To force a line break, insert  at the point where you want the
line break to occur. To insert a discretionary hyphen, insert <->.
For other codes, see Table 8-3.

132

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• Character Attributes
Character attributes include bold, italic, medium, small, superscript, subscript, underline, double underline, strikethrough, and
overscore. The codes for such attributes are shown in Table 8-3.
Note that any time you want to return to the default character
attributes, you embed the code . For example, if you have
formatted a word in bold with , you end the bold passage
with the code , not with a second .

• Special Codes
You can embed formatting information for footnotes, anchors,
hidden text, boxes, and other special features. See Table 8-3.

• Nonkeyboard Characters
Only those characters in the ASCII range below 127 are displayed
on the keyboard, yet Ventura's International character set, which
is the character set used by the fonts provided with Ventura as
well as by many other fonts, includes characters numbered from
128 to 255. These include symbols needed by European alphabets, graphics symbols, typographic symbols, and special symbols. To embed a nonkeyboard character in text, insert its ASCII
code within angle brackets. For example, to insert the © sign,
insert <189> at the appropriate place in your text. A list of codes
is provided in Table 8-4.
If you want to use symbols from the Symbol font or ITC Zapf
Dingbats, you'll also have to embed a code that causes Ventura to
switch to that font «F128> for the Symbol font,  for ITC
Zapf Dingbats), then embed the code for the character you want
(see Tables 8-5 and 8-6), then the code to return Ventura to the
default font «F255».
For example, the code to embed the character efe, which is character number 135 in the Symbol font, is <135>.

133

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

Ventura International Character Set
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152

C;
0

e
a
a

a
a
C;

e
e

e

A

A
E
CE

)E

6
b

6
Q

U

Y

153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177

6
0
¢

£
¥
n

f
6
6

u
Ii

N
Q
Q

~

«
»

6
6

178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202

0
0

ce

a:
A
A
6
§

:t:
t
~

©

®
TM

203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218

E

r
6
6
6
S
S

U
U
0
Y
B

%0

A
A
E
E

Table 8-4: The code assignments for the nonkeyboard characters of Ventura's International
character set. To embed these characters in a file prior to importing the file into Ventura,
type the code number in angle brackets. For example, to insert :f: in text, type <186>. Once
the file is loaded into Ventura, you can embed a nonkeyboard character into text by
holding down the Alt key while typing the code on the numeric keypad. For example, to
insert :f: from within Ventura, type Alt-186.

134

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Symbol Font Character Set
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59

:)

#

3
%
&
:3

*
+

0
1
2

3
4
5
6
7

8
9

60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86

<

>

?
5!!

A
B

X
tl

E


r
H
I
{t

K
A

M

N
0

n

e
P
~

T

y
£

87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113

Q

3
'II
Z

..
1..

a

p
X
b
E


y
Y]



<=

ft
=>

~

0
(
®
©

I
(

I
\
r
I
l

r

~

L

I

•

)

J

r
I
J
\

I
}

1
I

135

136

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

ITC Zapf Dingbats Font Character Set
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59

~

(@
~

~
'U'

(()
@

»-

..
~

~

~

Jl:JJ
~
Ii§>

@?
~

~

.t
t/

X
X

X
)(

+
+
+

60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86

-:t
'if
t
ffi

¢

+
+
+
+

•
~

*

*0
*
"*
*

*

"*
*
*
*

**
*
*

87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113

*
*

•

•
*
*
*

*

0

'i>

0
0

*
*
*
*
*
,!E
Z~

*
•*
*~

0

•
0
0

0

114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140

0

...
~

•.:.
•I
I
I

•
!

"

~

!T
t
!

•

•

'i
~

+

•
•
~

CD

Table 8-6: The fTC Zapj Dingbats Character Set. To use this character set, you need a
PostScript printer or a LaserMaster enhancement board jor the HP Laserjet. Note that there
are no symbols a::,-sociated with ASCII 127, 128, and 208.

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171

@
@
@
@

®
®

®
®
@

0
@
@)

e
~


-

•

•

c)

¢

203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217

~
~

t::>

t:>
0

0
~

:a»

.,.

:D+

¢

~

:a»
~

137

138

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip~5------------------------------------

An Easy Way to Figure out
Embedded Codes
If you

want to embed formatting codes in your text with your
word processor, but aren't sure how to set up the codes, format
some text in Ventura and save it, then load the file back into your
word processor. Make a note of the codes or save them as word
processor macros.

Tip~6--------------------------------------

Rules about Embedded Codes
Here are four rules to gUide you in using embedded codes:
1. Two codes can be combined. For example)  can be
compressed to .
2. Any new text attribute series cancels out all previous attributes.
3. The code  returns the text to the default attributes.
4. All attributes return to the defaults at the end of a paragraph,
even without  .

•:.

Loading Text
Once you have created a text file using your word processor (or
by generating a report file or print file with your database program or spreadsheet), you can load the file into Ventura. The
procedure for loading text files into Ventura is as follows:
• Select frame mode.
• Create a frame on a Ventura page, or select the base page.
• Select Load Text/Picture from the File menu.
• Select the appropriate file type in the Load Text/Picture
dialog box.

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

139

• Select List of Files as the destination.
• Using the Item Selector, select the text file. For a detailed
explanation of the Item Selector, see Chapter 7, "Managing
Files."
• The text file will now be listed in the list of files. To load it
into the base page or into a frame, click on the page or the
frame, then select the name of the file from the Assignment
List.
If the file is not immediately loaded onto the page, select frame
mode, select the frame you wish to load it into and again select
the name of the file .

•:.

Text Destinations
You can specify three different locations into which to load text.
Normally, you'll select List of Files, which places the text file in
the Assignment List, ready for loading onto the page .

• Text Clipboard
If you select Text Clipboard, the file will be loaded into the same
location in memory that Ventura uses to store text after you use
the Copy Text and Cut Text options in the Edit menu, or after you
press the Del key. Once it is inthe Text Clipboard, the text can be
inserted at the text cursor position by pressing Ins or by selecting
Paste Text from the Edit menu .

• Text Cursor
The third destination, Text Cursor, lets you immediately merge the
text from one file into the text from another. When you select this
option, you won't see the name of the file in the Assignment List,
and when you load your original file into your word processor,
you'll find that the two have been merged. This option has numerous uses, one of which is explained in the following tip.

140

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip 8-7---------------------------------------

Chaining Text Files Together
By loading a text file into the cursor position at the very end of a
chapter, you can chain two text files together within a single
chapter. If you also create a tag that contains a Page Break
Before and use it to mark the first paragraph of the second file,
you can in effect create a multichapter document within a single
chapter. For many medium-length documents, this may be more
convenient that creating separate chapters and then joining them
into a publication.

Tip 8 - 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loading Text from WordPerfect
A trio of utility programs, called WP2VP, VP2WP, and TAGTeam,
are available for assisting the work of formatting text in WordPerfect and then loading it into Ventura. WP2VP gets rid of
double spaces at the end of sentences, converts WordPerfect's own
footnote commands to Ventura format, and performs other related tasks; VP2WP does just the opposite: it strips Ventura codes
from your file, replacing them with the equivalent WordPerfect
formatting codes for such things as centering and bold text. TA GTeam automatically converts WordPerfect formats into their Ventura equivalents. For details on these programs, see Chapter 27,
((Utilities. "

.:.

Loading Worksheet Data
There are a variety of tools and methods for loading worksheet
data into Ventura documents and formatting it. With most of these
methods, you start by setting the margins of the worksheet to 0
and then printing your worksheet to a file (the exception is XVP
ITabs, which lets you load WKS files without first creating a print
file). The reason you have to print to a file is that Lotus WKS files

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

141

can't be loaded directly into Ventura. Having created the print file,
you have several options .

• Ventura (older versions)
If you are using an older version of Ventura that lacks the PRN-toTable feature (2.0 base version or earlier), you can select XyWrite
format and load the print file into a blank chapter or into an
empty frame in a formatted chapter. Since the columns in the
print file are separated by spaces rather than tabs, they won't
align properly if formatted with a proportional font. Note: Helvetica and Swiss are proportional fonts - Courier is not. You'll
have to manually delete all the spaces and insert tabs to separate
the columns, a time-consuming process .

• Using a Worksheet-Conversion Utility
Manually replacing all the spaces between worksheet columns
with tabs is only practical for a very small worksheet. What you
need is a tool to make the process automatic. Fortunately, several
such tools are available:
CONVERTD: This is a program on the Microsoft Word utilities

disk. To prepare a file for CONVERTD, first print your worksheet
to disk. To use CONVERTD, you must enter the name of an input
file, an output file, a list of the column widths of the spreadsheet,
and a delimiter character (Tab). CONVERTD also lets you indicate
a list of the rows you wish to convert, and this can be any combination of rows and columns, for example: rows 5, 8, and 16-22.
When the program prompts you for the type of file, select the
second option (delimited text file).'

Tabin and XVP/Tabs: These are two commercial utilities specifically designed to prepare worksheets for importing into Ventura.
Besides converting the spaces between columns to tabs, they provide a number of additional features such as adjusting the placement of dollar signs and parentheses around numbers according

142

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

to accounting conventions. For details on these programs, see
Chapter 27, "Utilities."

• PRN-to-Table
If you select PRN-to-Table as the text import format, Ventura will
automatically create a table to hold your worksheet data. You can
then easily adjust the formatting of the table using standard tableediting techniques. If you want to load the worksheet into a separate frame, select "List of Files" for your destination. If you want
to place the worksheet directly into your text, select "Text Cursor."
Obviously, the PRN-to-Table feature doesn't give you all the formatting extras that a utility such as Tabin or XVP ITabs has to
offer. If you frequently import worksheet data, you may well find
that such a program is well worth the investment.

.:.

Ventura's Text Editor
Having loaded a text file into Ventura, you can alter it using Ventura's internal text editor, which is activated when you select the
text mode. Note that any changes made using Ventura's text editor
will be reflected in your original text file, so if you want to preserve the original version of that file, be sure to make a copy
before editing it with Ventura.
The operation of Ventura's text editor is simple and intuitive. To
insert text, you place the cursor in the desired spot, click once to
insert the text editing cursor, and begin typing. You can move the
text editing cursor by using the keyboard cursor keys. FOlward
deletion is done with the Del key, backward deletion with the
Backspace key. To highlight a block of text you hold down the
mouse button while dragging it across the desired text. Alternatively, you place the text cursor at one end of the block, then
move the mouse cursor to the other end and hold down the Shift
key while clicking. Blocks can be cut or copied to the Text Clipboard by pressing Del or Shift-Del respectively, and text in the

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

143

Ventura's Text Editing Operations
DEL - Deletes one character to the

right of the cursor. Or, if you
have selected a passage by
dragging a cursor across it, the
Del key places the selected passage in the scrap (i.e., saves it
for later insertion). You can use
this for moving blocks of text.
INS - Inserts material from the scrap at

the cursor point.
BACKSPACE - Deletes one character to

the left.
CURSOR KEYS - Once you have clicked

the mouse while the cursor is
within a passage of text, a
separate text cursor appears on
the screen (a thin vertical line).
You can move this with the cursor keys.
HOME AND END - Move you to the first

or last page of the document.
PGUP AND PGDN - Move you to the

previous page or the next page.
ENTER - Starts a new paragraph.
CTRL-ENTER - Inserts a line break (i.e.,

starts a new line without starting
a new paragraph).

Table B-7: Ventura's Text Editing Operations.

CTRL-HYPHEN - Inserts a discretionary

hyphen.
CTRL-SPACEBAR - Inserts a nonbreaking

space.
CTRL-SHIFT-F - Inserts a figure space

(the width of a numeral in the
current font).
CTRL-SHIFT-N - Inserts an En space (11.2

the width of an Em space).
CTRL-SHIFT-M - Inserts an Em space

(measured as the same size as
the current font; for example, in
12-point text an Em space
measures 12 pOints in width, or
1/6 inch).
CTRL-SHIFT-[ or CTRL-SHIFT-] Inserts a left

or right quotation mark.
CTRL-[ - Inserts an En dash
CTRL-] - Inserts an Em dash.
CTRL-SHIFT-T - Inserts a thin space.
CTRL-SHIFT-C - Inserts ©.
CTRL-SHIFT-R - Inserts ®.
CTRL-SHIFT-2 - Inserts

TM.

144

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Clipboard can be inserted into a different location by pressing Ins.
Table 8-7 summarizes these and other text operations.

Tip 8-9--------------------------------------

The Ellipsis Character...
There's a special character in most fonts for typing the ellipsis
marks. Use this character (by holding down the Alt key while
typing 193 on the numeric keypad) instead of typing three
periods.

• Inserting Boxes
Many fonts lack the hollow box ( D) and filled box ( . ) characters, so Ventura makes them universally available from the Insert
Special Item option of the Edit menu (DOS/GEM version) or the
Text menu (Windows version). When you insert them, the boxes
take on the font attributes of the tag for that paragraph. To change
their size, you can highlight them and use Set Font. To delete a
box, place the cursor to the left of it so that the words Box Character are displayed in the Current Selection Box. Then press Del.

• Inserting Fractions
To create a fraction, select Insert Special Item from the Edit menu
(DOS/GEM version) or the Text menu (Windows version) and
select Equation (or Fraction, for the non-EMS version). The equation editing screen will appear. Type the fraction in the form 15 /
16 for a diagonal fraction such as 15/16, or as 15 over 16 for an
over-under fraction such as (!~). Then press Ctrl-D to return to the
page. The fraction will appear in your text.

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

145

Tip 8 - 1 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Adjusting Interline Spacing for
Fractions
If you use over-under factions (like ~), make sure you turn on
Grow Inter-Line To Fit in the Paragraph Typography menu .

• Inserting Page and Chapter Numbers
You can set up Ventura to automatically place the current page
number anywhere on the page. The procedure differs depending
on which version of the program you're using:
• In the non-EMS version, place the cursor in the desired position in your text, select Ins Special Item from the Edit menu,
then select Insert Reference. Select either Page # or Chapter
#, and Ventura will automatically make the insertion.
• In the Professional Extension, place the cursor in the desired
position in the text, select Ins Special Item from the Edit
menu, then select Cross Ref. A dialog box will appear. Don't
type anything on the line that says At the Name. Select p#
for page number or C# for chapter number. The other options (F#, T#, S*, C*, and V*) do not apply for this purpose.
• In the Windows version, place the cursor in the desired position in the text, select Ins Special Item from the Text
menu, then select Cross Ref. A dialog box will appear. Don't
type anything on the line that says At the Name. Select P#
for page number or C# for chapter number. The other options (F#, T#, S*, C*, and V*) do not apply for this purpose .

•:.

Formatting Words within Paragraphs
Most formatting in Ventura is done by means of style sheets,
which are discussed in the following chapter. A style sheet is
simply a collection of tags, each of which contains the formatting

146

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

parameters for a particular type of paragraph, such as a subhead
or a caption. Tags, however, are of no use for formatting a single
character, word, or set of words within a paragraph. To do that,
you can use the Assignment List and the Set Font button
(DOS/GEM version), or the Text menu and the Set Font Attributes
option (Windows version) .

• Assignment List
When you are in text editing mode in the DOS/GEM version, the
Assignment List has the entries shown on the right. These correspond to the attribute options
Nor ..... a.l
in the Text menu for the Windows version. To apply any of
these attributes to a passage of
text, you drag the mouse across
the passage and then select the
Superscript
appropriate attribute. Note that
Subscr:1.pt
you can apply more than one atUnd~t".l:1.n(!
tribute, such as combining bold
and italic to make bold italic.
Doub.l~ Undt"Ln
"Small" switches the font to a
Stt":1.ke:-tht"u
smaller size (actually, you can
Ove:rscore
use the "Small" switch to create
~
large text as well - see below).
"Upper Case" capitalizes all the
characters in the selection;
"Capitalize" capitalizes only the
first character of each word .
1'1 •• 1

• Set Font (DOS/GEM version)
Although tags apply only to entire paragraphs, you can use the
Set Font option to make formatting changes within a paragraph.
The procedure is as follows:
• Select text mode.

147

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

Figure 8-2:

The Set Font
dialog box.

FOOT SETTING FOR SELECTED TEXT

Face : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
IrC Franklin Gothic Book/Del1Ji
IrC~Franklin Gothic Heavy
: : : : : IrC Friz Quadrata
.::::, IrC Galliard

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::~:::::::::::::
t

II

I

o

1.: lta,1.ic
N· Italic
B· Italic

e

Green
Blut?
Cyan
Yellow
Ma entia

CustO(ll Size: B12. sl points

Overscore:
Strike· Thru:
Underline:
Double Underline:

Off I
Off I
Off I
Off I

Shift: Up
Kern: looser

B. BOO
B.BB

inches
El11s

• Select a passage of text by dragging the mouse cursor across
it.

• Select the Set Font option.
• Enter the desired font settings in the dialog box shown in
Figure 8-2.

• Set Font Attributes (Windows version)
You can use the Set Font Attributes option to make formatting
changes within a paragraph. The procedure is as follows:
• Select the text icon.
• Select a passage of text by dragging the mouse cursor across
it.
• Select the Set Font Attributes option from the Text menu.
• Enter the desired font settings in the dialog box.

148

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Figure 8-3:

The Attribute
Overrides
dialog box.

"Body TeHt"

~TTRIBUTE

rn

OUERRIDES
By: BLBB picas
B8,B4

Overscore Height:
Strike-Thru Height:

&points

Underline 1 Height: 00)01 Shift ~ By: OOJB1
00,B2
Underline 2 Height: 00,01
Superscript Size: 01B
Subscript Size: 010

Shift t By: OO,B6
Shift ~ By: 08,B1

SMall Cap Size: 024 points
OK

I Cancel I

• Using Attribute Overrides
A feature called Attribute Overrides lets you adjust the thickness
and relative position of strikethrough lines, overscore lines, and
underscore lines; the size and position of superscripts and subscripts; and the size and position of small caps. It is best described
with an example. Let's say that you want all superscripts to be 10
points in size and to be 7 points above the baseline. First, in text
mode you highlight the letter or letters you wish to have superscripted, then select Superscript from the Assignment List. Next,
switch to tagging mode, click on the paragraph, and select Attribute Overrides from the Paragraph menu (see Figure 8-3). For
line width, select Text-Wide, then enter 10 points for size of the
superscript and 7 points for the amount to be shifted up. These
Attribute Overrides now become a permanent part of the tag that
applies to the current paragraph and any other paragraph so
tagged.

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

149

Tip 8 - 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Column-Wide Underlining
If you

want text automatically to be underlined, o versco red, etc.,
across an entire column Oike this line) select Column-Wide in
the Attribute Overrides dialog box.

Tip 8 - 1 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Using "Small Caps" for Big Letters
Using Attribute Overrides, you can specify a point size for Small
Caps, and Ventura will always apply that size when you select
"Small" from the Assignment List (DOS/GEM) or from Set Font
Attributes (Windows). For example, in this paragraph the small
cap size was set at 24 points and the first letter of the paragraph
was assigned the "Small" text attribute. Note that you can spec~fy
a different size for small text for each tag in your style sheet .

• Editing Attributes
Any attributes that you apply to text are stored as hidden codes in
the text. To locate the attribute codes, place the cursor in the text
and watch the Current Selection Box (right above the page number box) as you move the cursor. When the cursor is located at an
attribute code, the name of the attribute will appear in the Current
Selection Box. To eliminate the attribute, press Del. Another way
to eliminate the attribute is to highlight a portion of text and apply
the Normal text attribute .

•:.

Creating Text within Ventura
Although it is generally recommended that you create text outside
Ventura with a word processing program and then import the text
file into Ventura, with short documents you can simply create
your text directly with Ventura's text editor.

150

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Here's how to proceed. If you've just loaded up the program,
you'll be looking at a blank screen. If you're in a different chapter,
select New from the File menu to get a blank screen. Now click
on the text icon, click on the blank page, and start typing. When
you're ready to save your document, select Save As from the File
menu and give a name to the new chapter you've just created.
Ventura will automatically give the text file the same name and
save it in the same directory as the chapter file .

•:.

Caption Files
Two kinds of text files are generated by Ventura itself. For every
chapter that you create, Ventura creates a file with the same name
as the chapter file and the extension CAP. It is somewhat misleading to refer to this as the "caption" file, since it contains not only
text you enter for captions but also text you type into box text
boxes and blank frames.

Tip 8 - 1 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Making Global Changes in
Captions, Box Text, and Frame
Text
This tip should only be attempted after you have backed up your
CAP file. Since the CAP file is a text file, you can load it into any
word processor and use such word processor features as spell
checking and search and replace. This can come in especially
handy ifyou want to change a single word that occurs repeatedly
in a number of captions, but only minor changes should be
attempted, because it is easy to alter the CAP file in such a way
that all the captions, box text, andframe text will disappear from
your chapter. REPEAT· BEFORE YOU EDIT A CAP FILE IN ANY
WAY, MAKE A BACKUP COPY.

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

.:.

151

Generated Files
This type of file is generated by Ventura when you create an
index or a table of contents, or when you select Print Style Sheet
in the Update Tag List option (under the Paragraph menu). In
each case, Ventura creates a file with the extension GEN. You can
load this file back into Ventura and format it, just like any other
file. Simply select Generated as your text file type in the Load
Text/Picture dialog box.
To format the generated file for a style sheet, use the STYLOG
style sheet in the \ TYPESET directory.

Tip 8-14---------------------------------------

Saving Formatting Information
If your word processing file contains formatting information that

Ventura does not recognize when it loads the file, that information will be stripped away and lost during the loading process. If
you want to preserve the formats ofyour original document, save
a new copy under a different name before you load it into Ventura.

Tip 8 - 1 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Converting Text Files among
Word Processor Formats
A common problem in offices is converting documents from one
word processing format to another-for instance, from MultiMate to WordPerfect. You can use Ventura for this routine task.
Load the text file into a chapter, then select File Type/Rename
from the Edit menu (DOS/GEM version) or the Frame menu
(Windows version). You'll be given the option to choose a new
subdirectory, name, and word proceSSing format for the file.

152

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip 8 - 1 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Suppressing Hyphenation
You can keep Ventura from hyphenating a word by placing a
discretionary hyphen
directly in front of the word when
you prepare text with your word processor.

«-»

Tip 8 - 1 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Moving Text Files from One
Directory to Another
{f you have a text file in one directory and want to move it to
another directory, select frame mode, then select File Type/Rename from the Edit menu (DOS/GEM) or from the Frame menu
(Windows). {f the file is currently on the screen, its path and
name will be listed on the top line. Othe1Wise, type in the path
and name. Then type in the new path and name and the new
format, if you want Ventura to convert it.

Tip 8 - 1 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Entering Text in a Frame
There are two ways to enter text into a frame. One is to type
directly into a frame. The other is to load a text file into the
frame. Generally, it's better to load a file into the frame, because
then the text in the frame will be saved on your hard disk as a
separate text file that can easily be edited with your word processor. {f you type text directly into the frame without first loading in
a text file, Ventura stores the text in a file with the same name as
the chapter file but with the extension CAP. This file also contains
the contents of all figure captions and also the contents of any
other frames into which you've typed text directly. While using
the CAP file to hold your frame text is convenient, a problem
arises if you ever want to use the spell checking or search-andreplace features ofyour word processor, since it's not advisable to

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

153

do any editing of the CAP file. Also, if the data in your chapter
somehow becomes corrupted, it's easier to reconstruct the chapter
if each frame has its own separate text file. Of course, this is not
a hard andfast rule. For frames with a small amount of text, you
may as well enter your text directly into the frame. But for long
text passages, it's a good idea to create a separate text file and
then load that file. Once the text file is loaded, you can add or
delete text from it using Ventura s editing tools .

•:.

Questions and Answers
Q:

I drew a frame, selected the File menu,

selected the Load Text/Picture option, and
selected a text file to load. However, the text
did not load into the frame and the frame
remained blank. How do I get the text to
load into the frame?
A:

After you select the text file to load using the Load Text/Picture
option, its name should appear in the Selection List on the left
side of the screen (DOS/GEM version) or in the Files window
(Windows version). Select the frame you want to pour the text
into. When you point at its name in that menu and click with the
mouse, it will appear in that frame.

Q:

I'm laying out a newsletter that has articles
in several different files. I loaded them into
Ventura by selecting the Load Text/Picture
option from the File menu. In the Load
Text/Picture dialog box I selected # of Files:
Several. Then I selected three files. However,

154

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

only one of them appeared in the document.
How do I put multiple text files in a chapter?
A:

To create a chapter with multiple text files, such as a newsletter,
you have several options. One technique, which is appropriate
for newsletters, is to draw a separate frame for each text file.
Another technique is to select Load Text/Picture from the File
menu and select Text Cursor as the Destination. A third technique is to draw a frame for each column of your newsletter and
then load text files into these frames. A fourth technique is to
use the Insert Page option from the Chapter menu.

Q:

When I load text into Ventura, some lines are
highlighted in black. Why?

A:

Lines shown in black are known as "loose lines," meaning that
Ventura has been forced to exceed the Maximum Space Width
value in order to justify the line. Several solutions are available
to correct a loose line. One is to hyphenate words in adjacent
lines. Another is to select the Typographic Controls option from
the Paragraph menu, set letter spacing on, and enter an amount
to use for adjustment. This causes Ventura to adjust the spacing
between characters within words, as described in the Chapter 10,
"Formatting Text." Note, however, that after you turn letter spacing on, the loose lines may still be highlighted. If you don't want
loose lines to be highlighted, you can select Hide Loose Lines in
the Options menu (DOS/GEM version) or the View menu (Windows version).

Chapter 8: Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text

155

Q:

Why does text take longer to load with one
hyphenation routine than with another?

A:

When Ventura loads a text file, it inserts all possible hyphenation
points. The more complete a hyphenation routine, the longer it
takes to check all the hyphenation points.

Q:

I tagged some text before loading it into

Ventura by typing an @ followed by the
name of the tag and an equal sign. However,
the effect was that the name of the tag
printed rather than causing the text to be
formatted. Why?
A:

The most likely reason is that the @ sign was not the first letter
of the line (perhaps you preceded it with a space or a tab). To
be recognized by Ventura, the @ sign must be the first character
in the first line of a paragraph and may not be indented.

Working with
Style Sheets
As described in Chapter 2, "How Ventura Works," Ventura stores
information about a document in multiple locations: the chapter
file (CHP), the chapter information file (ClF), the caption file
(CAP), the Ventura information file (INF) , the style sheet file
(STY), and the various text and graphics files that comprise the
contents of the document. Among these files, the style sheet file is
especially important, since it contains formatting information for
the document as a whole, such as the margins and columns settings, as well as the formatting instructions contained in each
paragraph tag. The following are the elements that are stored in
each style sheet:
• Page size and layout;
• Chapter typography, except widow and orphan settings;
• Auto-numbering settings;
• Footnote settings;

158

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• Margin and column settings for the base page;
• Printer width table name;
• Formatting information for each tag (font, alignment, spacing, breaks, tabs, special effects, attribute overrides, paragraph typography, and ruling lines) .

•:.

Ventura's Sample Style Sheets
During the installation procedure for Ventura, you are asked
whether you want to have example documents installed on your
hard disk. If you answer Yes, the style sheets shown in Table 9-1
are installed in the \ TYPESET directory. Most begin with an ampersand (&). The characters immediately preceding the extension
(PI, P2, Ll, or L2) indicate whether the document is landscape
(printed sideways across the page) or portrait (printed up-right on
the page), and whether it has one or two columns. To see one of
these styles applied to an actual document, you can load one of
the chapter files with the same name contained in the \ TYPESET
directory.

• Miscellaneous Sample Style Sheets
In addition to the style sheets that begin with an ampersand, six
other style sheets are automatically installed in the \ TYPESET
directory. These are as follows:
• CAPABILI.STY. This style sheet goes with CAPABILI.CHP, a
special page that shows the capabilities and limitations of
your printer.
• CHARSET.STY. This style sheet goes with CHARSET.CHP, a
chart showing the symbols in the Ventura International character set.
• DEFAULT. STY. This is simply a blank style sheet containing
no tags, which proves to be quite handy to use as a starting
point when you want to build your own style sheet from
scratch.

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

159

Ventura's Sample Style Sheets
&BOOK-Pl.STY
&BOOK-P2.STY
&BRO-L2.STY
&BRO-P3.STY
&INV-Pl.STY
&LSTG-P2.STY
<R-Pl.STY
&MAG-P3.STY
&NEWS-P2.STY
&NEWS-P3.STY
&PHON-P2.STY
&PREL-Pl.STY
&PRPT-Pl.STY
&PRPT-P2.STY
&TBL-Pl.STY
&TBL2-L 1.STY
&TCHD-Pl.STY
&TDOC-Pl.STY
&VWGF-L 1.STY
&VWGF-Pl.STY
CAPABILI.STY
CHARSET.STY
DEFAULT.STY
SAMPLE1.STY
SCOOP.STY
STYLOG.STY

A single-column layout for books and reports
A two-column layout for books and reports
A two-column layout in landscape orientation for
brochures
A three-column layout in portrait orientation for brochures
A single-column invoice form
A two-column product listing
A single-column business letter, including letterhead
A three-column magazine or newsletter
A two-column magazine or newsletter
A three-column magazine or newsletter
A two-column directory or phone book
A single-column press release or announcement
A single-column proposal or report
A two-column proposal or report
A single-column financial table
A four-column table in landscape orientation
A single-column technical manual
A single-column technical manual
A presentation viewgraph in landscape orientation
A presentation viewgraph in portrait orientation
A page that shows the capabilities and limitations of
your printer
A table showing the characters in the Ventura
International and the Symbol character sets
A blank style sheet
A style sheet with several levels of heads and subheads,
used to learn tagging
The style sheet that goes with a sample newsletter called
Ventura Scoop
Formats the generated file that contains the contents of
a style sheet

Table 9-1: The sample style sheets that are proVided with Ventura. During the installation

process, they are automatically loaded into the \ TYPESET directory.

160

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Ventura Publisher Style Sheets
At last-affordable Style Sheets for Venturaall set up and ready to go-just add your text
ill-Harris Designer Disks help you utilize
proven design techniques to quickly create
W
attractive, effective documents. In no time you
can tailor any element of the page layout to
specifically suit your application, and get the
results of a high-priced professional designer
without the high price.
Style Sheets (associated chapters and
artwork) come with the formatting information
and tags set up, ready to use. LaserJet, PostScript
and linotronic compatible, Will-Harris Designer
Disks will print on any printer Ventura supports.
Excellent for beginners, Disk #3 makes
Ventura's complex features understandable and
easy to use.

Tips & Tricks Tutorial
(Disk #3, $39)
Style Sheets for a tabloid-size newspaper, a
newsl6tter, magazine, price-list catalog, threefold two-sided flyer, and HPLJ-compatible envelope and labels.

Designer Duet
(2-Disk Set, $49)
Style Sheets for four different newsletters, two
books, two pamphlets, two program guides, a
catalog, manual, price list, magazine, brochure,
annual report, leaflet, program guide, presentation, storyboard, postcard, menu, cookbook, and
recipes. Also contains a Style Sheet for Forms
with complete instructions about how to use
databases to mail merge within Ventura.

We also have Style Sheets
for WordPerfect 5! Disk #5,
30 Style sheets, $38.95.
Make check or money order
payable to: Designer Disks

Box 480265, Dept. T
Los Angeles, CA 90048
CA residents add 6.5% sales tax
(Sorry, no credit card or phone
orders, but shipping is free & fast.)

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

161

Third-Party Style Sheets
Document Gallery Style Sheets
MicroPublishing
21150 Hawthorne Blvd. #104
Torrance, CA 90503
213/371-5787
This collection includes 50 style
sheets. Topics Include newsletters,
technical documentation, marketing literature, books, directories,
and forms.
Style Sheets for Business Documents, Style Sheets for Newsletters,
Style Sheets for Technical Documentation
New Riders Publishing
P.O. Box 4846
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
818/991-5392
Price: $39.95 each
Each set in the New Riders col/ection includes approximately 20 style
sheets. These come bound into a
book that explains how to use the
style sheets, shows sample printouts,
and provides extensive production
tips. Included with the style sheets
are sample chapters.
Ventura Designer Stylesheets
BCA/Desktop Designs
P.O. Box 2191
Walnut Creek, CA 94595
800/727-8953,415/946-1716
Price: $149.95 each
There are four "application packs"
in this collection. They include the
Business (22 style sheets, including
financial statements, forms,
proposals, letterhead, business

Table 9-2: Third-party style sheets.

cards), News (11 newsletter style
sheets), Corporate (10 brochures, 2
seminars, 1 annual report), and
Techdoc (10 technical documentation styles). Each application pack
Includes chapter files illustrating the
style sheets. Separate versions of
the packs are provided for LaserJet
and PostScript printers.
VPDesigner Style Sheets
HyperFormance, Inc.
4906 Fitzhugh Ave. # 107
Richmond, VA 23230
804/355-0083
Price: $129.95
HyperFormance has created a set
of over 40 style sheets, each of
which is illustrated in an accompanying manual. The sample documents include newsletters, resumes,
menus, manuals, books, proposals,
forms, annual reports, technical
sheets, directories, and catalogs.
Will-Harris Designer Disks
P.O. Box 480265
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Price: $49 for Disks # 1 & #2; $39 for
Disk #3
Daniel Will-Harris (a contributor to
this book), derived the style sheets
in this collection from his book
Desktop Publishing With Style. For a
complete description, see the ad
on the facing page.

162

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• SAMPLE 1. STY. This is a style sheet that you'll use if you follow the tutorial in the training booklet provided with Ventura.
• SCOOP .STY. This is the style sheet that goes with a sample
newsletter called Scoop. It's an example of a complex page
that includes text and graphics in multiple frames. To see
the newsletter, load the chapter SCOOP.CHP
• STYLOG.STY. If you want to print the contents of a style
sheet, you'll find this style sheet useful for formatting the
printout. The procedure to follow is described later in this
chapter.

Tip 9 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ventura's Default Style Sheet
Often it's easier to start from a scratch style sheet (i.e., one containing no tags) than to adapt one of the style sheets provided
with Ventura. When you need to start with a blank style sheet,
select DEFAULTSTY from the \ 1YPESET directory. This style sheet
only contains one tag, the one for Body Text .

•:.

Third-Party Style Sheets
A number of companies have gone into the business of selling
"prefab" style sheets. You can either put these to use as is, or else
customize them for your own particular needs. Table 9-2 lists
several sources of these style sheets .

•:.

Loading a Style Sheet
When you load Ventura, the most recently used style sheet is
automatically loaded as well, and its name is listed in parentheses
on the Title Bar. To load a new style, select Load Diff. Style from
the File menu, then use the Item Selector to pick the style you

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

163

want. (For an explanation of how to use the Item Selector, see
Chapter 7, "Managing Files.")
Generally, you'll start by loading one of the style sheets in the
TYPESET directory, or else by loading a third-party style sheet.
The first thing you should do is use the Save As New Style option
under the File menu to save your style sheet with a new name.
This ensures that the original style sheets will be preserved intact.

Tip 9 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Keeping Your Original Style
Sheets Intact
If you

accidental~y modify one of the sample style sheets in the
\ TYPESET directory and wish to restore the original version)
delete the modified s~yle sheet and copy the original from the
installation disk labeled ''Examples.''

.:.

Tagging
Once you have loaded the style sheet, you're ready to apply tags
to paragraphs. There are three ways to do this: with the mouse,
with the function keys, and in your word processor prior to loading a text file into Ventura .

• Mouse Tagging
In the GEM/DOS version, the way to apply a tag to a paragraph is
to select the tag icon, then position the cursor anywhere within
the paragraph and click, and then click on the name of a tag in
the Assignment List.
In the Windows version, tagging is a bit more flexible. You can be
in either tagging or text editing mode. Position the cursor anywhere within a paragraph and click, then click on the name of a
tag in the Tag List window.

164

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Note that tags can only be applied to entire paragraphs. (To format a portion of a paragraph, such as changing a single word to a
different font, you'll need to select the passage in text mode by
dragging the cursor across it with the mouse button held down,
then selecting one of the attributes listed in the Assignment List on
the left side of the screen (DOS/GEM version), by clicking the Set
Font button (DOS/GEM), or by selecting Apply Text Attributes
from the Text menu (Windows version). For more information on
this topic, see Chapter 8, "Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text.")

Tip 9 - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

SPeed Up Tagging by Moving the
Tag Window (Windows version)
Remember that the Tag Window can be dragged to a new location. So if you want to speed up the tagging process, simply click
in the top bar or· the window, hold down the mouse button, and
drag the window to a position right on top of the page you are
working with. To see more tags at once, use the window corners
to expand the size of the Tag Window.

Tip 9 - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tagging Multiple Paragraphs
To tag multiple paragraphs at once, hold down the Shift key while
selecting the various paragraphs. They need not be contiguous,
but they do need to all be on one page .

• Tagging with the Function Keys
You can apply up to ten different tags directly by using the function keys. This works in either tagging or text editing mode. In
many cases, this works faster than regular tagging. The procedure
is simple: place the text cursor anywhere in the paragraph you
wish to tag and press the appropriate function key.

165

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

Figure 9-1:
Function key
assignments for
tags are controlled
through the
Update Tag List
option in the
Paragraph menu.
Note that in the
Windows version,
these menus and
dialog boxes look
slightly different,
but work just the
same.

•

I

ral1t ...

Ali!m~ent ...

Spaeit!g,
Blue.aksl
I

II

I

hb Settluss.

I

I

Special Effectslll

Attl"ibut~ Ol)~rl"ides
1~HH3gr-a~h~L
I

P-ar-agraph

Ruling Line ~bave
Ruling Litle Belal;L
Rulltl9 [km Alutllmd
I

I

I

I

I

I

I

•

I

I

I

I

Define Colors ...

Update Tag list... ,,"K

Figure 9-2: The
Update Tag List
dialog box, which
is used to assign
tags to function
key::,~ remove tags
from the style
sheet, rename
tag::,~ and save a
style sheet as a
text file with the
GEN extension.

UPDATE TAli LIST ((:\UB\2S\BODY1.STY)

(oIllRand: I PrInt Stylesheet... I I RelllDve Selected f a9 I

I

Save As Nelli Stulesheet. •.

I Assign Func

Figure 9-3: The
Assign Function
Keys dialog box. It
is accessed via the
Paragraph menu
or by pressing
etrl-K.

Ke!ls ...

I I Rename

Tag •••

rn

ASSIGN FUNCTION KEYS
F1: Minor headin~
Tip ~ _ __

F3:
F5:

F7 :

Q

B~ul::-::'l-et---

F9: Answer

I

I

Te~t __

F2:
F4:
F6:

FB:
F1B:

OK

Major heading
Tip Title_
Question Te~t
~--:-----=:-----

Body Text_

I Cancel I

166

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

To assign tags to function keys, press Ctrl-K. This puts you into
the Update Tag List dialog box. To assign a tag to a function key
- or merely to find out which tags are assigned to which function
keys - select Assign Func Keys. Of course, no more than 10 tags
can be assigned to function keys, so you'll have to make sure that
the tags you assign are the ones most frequently needed. Note
that in the Windows version, Fl and FlO are reserved for other
purposes.

np9~----------------------------------

A Shortcut to the Function Key
Assignment List from Text Mode
(DOS/GEM version)
If you're

in text mode and want to remind yourself of the function key assignments, there's a slight problem: when you select the
Paragraph menu, you'll see Update Tag List shown in light gray,
meaning that you can't select it unless you switch to Paragraph
Tagging mode.

Here's a trick to find out the function key assignments without
leaving text mode. Press Ctrl-K, which is the keyboard shortcut for
getting into the Update Tag List dialog box. Surprisingly enough,
Ctrl-K works no matter what mode you're in .

• Tagging with a Word Processor
As described in the previous chapter, you can attach tags to the
elements of a document before importing it into Ventura from any
word processor. Simply type the @ symbol, the name of the style
in capital letters, a space, the = sign, and another space. Thus, all
tags take the form @tagname = . Better yet, use a keyboard macro
program such as SuperKey, or use the macro capabilities of your
word processor. For example, you can use the macro program to
store the phrase "@SUBHEAD = " as Alt-S. To format all subheads,
you merely type Alt-S at the beginning of each.

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

167

Tip 9 - 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Identifying Tags in the Word
Processor
When you insert tags with your word processor, the @ sign must
be the first character in the line. Otherwise it will not be recognized as a tag.

.:.

Tagging with WordPerfect
Although you can enter plain text into Ventura and then do your
formatting, one way to save time is to embed Ventura formatting
codes in your text files using WordPerfect. An annoying side effect of this technique is that it clutters your text files with Ventura
formatting codes. Fortunately, there's a way to avoid the clutter,
and that is to use two WordPerfect style sheets. While you're
working on your document, you use a style sheet that doesn't put
lots of Ventura codes in your document. Just before you load the
document into Ventura, you switch to a different style sheet,
which produces fully formatted, Ventura-ready files with all the
necessary codes embedded. Creating both style sheets is simple .

• VPDRAFT.STY
The draft WordPerfect style sheet, called VPDRAFT.STY, allows
headlines, subheads, and readouts (or pull-quotes) to stand out
from regular text by using extra hard returns, underlines, bold,
centers, or indents. Here's how to set it up:
BYLINE (paired):

[Tab] [F6] [CursorRight]
HEADLINE (paired):
[Enter]
[Enter]

168

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

[Shift-F6] [F6] [FS] [CursorRight] [Enter]
[Enter]

READOUT (paired):

[F4] [F4][F6]

(Note: You can use Shift-F4, which gives you a left/right indent, in
place of F4, which gives you a left indent.)
SUBHEAD (paired):
[Enter]
[Fa]

TOPPER (paired):
[Shift-F8] L M 1.25" [Enter] 1.25" [Enter] S1.5
[Enter]

UND/ITAL (paired):
[Fa]

• VPFINAL.STY
The final WordPerfect style sheet, called VPFINAL.STY, removes
all extra returns and replaces them with Ventura tag names. Even
underlines become real Ventura italics codes.
BYLINE (paired):
@BYLINE

=

HEADLINE (paired):
@HEADLINE

=

READOUT (paired):
@READOUT

=

SUBHEAD (paired):

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

169

How to Remove Tag Names from Text Files
Like cats, most documents go through many lives. Typically, not long after
a technical manual is written and printed, a writer begins work on the next
revision.
With Ventura, any changes made up and saved in the chapter file are
reflected back in the original document file. That provides a great deal of
convenience in keeping the document up to date. The one drawback of
Ventura's way of working is that the numerous tags embedded in a document become distracting.
Let's say you've completed printing out a document and now wish to
remove all the tags from the original text file so that you can continue editing
it without the distraction of the embedded @ signs, tag names, and = signs.
Obviously, you could go through the file with your word processing program
and manually delete all the tags. But there are several alternatives that may
be quicker:
When you set up your style sheet, make sure that all the tags you create
are the same length. Since 13 characters is the maximum, you might make
that your standard length. If you don't need 13 characters for a tag name,
just fill up the remainder with the underline symbol. Having made all tags the
same length, you can delete them using a single search and replace by
searching for "@????????????? = "
A second method is to retag the chapter, making every paragraph Body
Text. Since Body Text is the default tag, there is no embedded tag name in
the original document. When you save the chapter (it's a good idea to save
it under a new name), the text file will be saved without any embedded tag
names.
A third method is to use the macro capabilities of your word processor to
. automatically delete all tags. In Microsoft Word, the following macro finds a
tag string of any length and deletes it. To record the macro, press , then
enter the following string:
=S

Then press F3 again and provide a name for the macro at the prompt. To
execute the macro, press I, then type the name of the macro. A shortcut is to type the name of the macro and then press -.

170

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

@SUBHEAD

=

TOPPER (open):
Shift-FS L M 1"

[Enter]

1"

[Enter]

UND/ITAL (paired):


[CursorRight]


(Note:  stands for Medium Italics, and  stands for Default, because it returns text to its normal attribute.)

• TAGTeam
There's a utility called TAGTeam that automates the work of pretagging a WordPerfect document even more than the WordPerfect
style sheets described above. TAGTeam lets you associate certain
WordPerfect attributes with Ventura styles and then places those
tags in your document. For more on TAGTeam, see Chapter 27,
"Utilities."

.:.

Tagging with Microsoft Word
When using Microsoft Word to prepare pre-tagged text for Ventura Publisher, the F3 key can be used for rapid tagging of paragraphs. Save each tag name, preceded with an @ and followed by
a space, an equal sign, and another space (for example @HEADLINE = ) in a glossary and assign each glossary entry a one- or
two-letter name. To do that, type the passage you wish to assign
to a glossary, highlight the passage, and press Esc for the Word
command line and then C for the Copy command. When Word
prompts you with Copy to:, type a one- or two-letter name. To
apply this tag to the passage, place the cursor at the beginning of
the first line of the paragraph, press the key combination assigned
to that tag, and immediately press F3.

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

171

Profik------------------------------------------

Pub*Star
If you like to enter Ventura tagging information in your word
processing file, but have a mind like a sieve (and don't we all at
one time or another), Pub*Star just might be the ticket.
Pub*Star is a memory-resident program designed solely to help
you place Ventura tagging and code information in your word
processing file. Pub*Star provides instant "Macros" which allow
you to place tags in a file; it shows you a little bit of information
about each tag while you're in your word processing program; it
frees you from having to look up the codes for various symbols
such as em-dashes, copyright symbols, index entries, and anchor
entries; and it allows you to quickly enter repetitive phrases.
Pub*Star reads a Ventura style sheet and extracts the names of the
tags. From then on, rather than having to type the full tag name,
you press the star on the keypad, press ENTER on "Tag a paragraph," and move the cursor to the tag name you want. Pub*Star
will then insert the current tag name, complete with @ and spaces
Figure 9-4: This
screen shows you
the embedded
codes to use for
various types of
formatting. When
you want to place
one of these codes
in your text file,
you simply move
to the desired code
and pre:-,"s Enter.

Ventura & Pub*Star Ventura &Pub*Star Ventura &Pub*Star Ventura &Pub*Star Ven
Pub*Star Ventura & Pub*Star Ventura & Pub*Star Ventura Ii Pub*Star Ventura Ii Pub
Ventura & Pub*Srr==================tJ & Pub*Star Ven
Pub*Star Ventur
r Ventura & Pub
Ventura & Pub*S Horizontal Tab
<9}
& Pub*Star Ven
Pub*Star Ventur Line Break

Ii Pub*Star Ven
Pub*Star Ventur
Registered tlark (R)
<198} r Ventura Ii Pub
Pub*Star Ventur
IHDEX - Entry
<$1 ;} r Ventura Ii Pub
Ventura & Pub*S
"See" Reference
<$S ;}
Ii Pub*Star Ven
Pub*Star Ventur
"See Also" Reference
<$A ;} r Ventura Ii Pub
Ventura & Pub*S AHCHOR - Sa~e Page
<$Ilnaflle}
11 Pub*Star Ven
Pub*Star Ventur
Below
<$&na~e[v]}
r Ventura Ii Pub
Ventura & Pub*S
Above
<$&na~e[A]}
Ii Pub*Star Ven
Pub*Star Ventur Footnote
<$Ftext} r Ventura 11 Pub
Ventura & Pub*S Hidden Text
<$ttext}
Ii Pub*Star Ven
1'==================::::!In 1" Pos 1"

172

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

before and after the equal sign.
Pub*Star is also smart enough to keep the cursor on the last tag
name you used, so you don't have to keep moving the cursor
through the list of tag names. Another nice touch permits you to
press the first letter of the tag-name and have the cursor jump to
the first tag which begins with that letter.
While you can do much the same thing with a macro in your
word processing program, Pub*Star works in a more convenient
fashion because it reads the latest version of your style sheet and
therefore makes all tags automatically available - no need to add
them manually. Pub*Star will also show you information about
each tag including the typeface, size, attributes (such as italic or
bold), alignment, "In From Left" and special effects such as bullets
and big first characters. This is a handy reference when you can't
remember which tag to use.
For those times when you need to temporarily change typefaces,
sizes, attributes or color, additional menus contain all these codes
and will place them in your file just by moving to them on the

Figure 9-5: When

you need a
reminder about
which tag to use,
Pub*Star can show
you the contents of
the tag.

4 bod!;! text
4 Bullet
4 Bullet 1
4 heading
4 keystroke
4 subhead
Bod!;! no widow
Bod!;! Text
Bullet
Bullet 1
Capt ion lert

z 1-2-3 plain
z 1-2-3 table
z18on18
z 18 on 11
z18on12
z18on13
z 18 on 14

z24rr=====================,

Chap Paragrap
z 88
z bo Goud!;!
Z ce Point Size: 14
Z HA Attr i butes: Norllla I
Chapter NUlllbr Z Ju AI ignlllent : Just if ied
Chapter Sub
z Ie
In Frolll Lert: 8.88 Inches
Chapter Title z Ie
Big First Char!
Gill Tabs
ZRa~====================~
Helvetica
z readout
Keystrokes
Z reuerse
Readout
Z Right
Readout centr z Ilnkearned
Serif
z-boxed
Serif 2
Z_cap center
Sub head
Z_CAPTION
Subhead sMall Z_HEADER
Text slIIaIl
Z_LABEL CAP

1J!MiifP&JU

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

173

menu and pressing Enter. The same goes for symbols. Tabs, line
breaks, dashes, spaces, symbols, index marks, anchors, footnotes
and hidden text are all included in the "Inserts and Symbols
menu." Until using this program I didn't know that <9> meant
"tab" in Ventura.
While the program is clever and easy to use, if you are a true
novice, pre-tagging may be more trouble than it's worth. If you
want to pre-tag, Pub*Star can help, but you don't have to, and
many people prefer to tag, insert special codes, or change typefaces and sizes using Ventura's own WYSIWYG fashion, rather
than by inserting codes.
Despite this complaint, Pub*Star is simple to understand and use.
It allows even the less technically inclined to tag in Ventura with
ease, and you never have to figure out how to "program" a macro
in your word processing program to use it.

For access information on Pub*Star, see the Utilities section of
Appendix A, "Resources."

.:.

Creating a New Tag
No matter how comprehensive the style sheet you're using may
be, there comes a time when you'll need to create a new tag. To
do so, select tagging mode, select a paragraph to which you want
to apply the new tag, and tag it with the tag that is the closest to
the new tag you wish to create. Now select the Add New Tag
button (DOS/GEM version) or press Ctrl-2 (Windows version).
Type the name of the new tag on the top line, and make sure that
the tag listed next to "Tag Name to Copy From" is the old tag you
wish to alter to create your new tag. Select OK.
Now you'll be back in your document and you can proceed to
define your new tag. At the outset, its attributes will be identical
to the tag from which it was copied. To change the attributes,
select any of the choices in the Paragraph menu, such as Font,
Alignment, Spacing, Breaks, and so forth.

174

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip 9 - 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Copying a Tag to a Different
Style Sheet (Windows version)
A feature unique to the Windows version is the ability to copy a
tag from one style sheet into another. In tagging mode, click on a
tag in the List of Tags window. Then select Copy from the Edit
menu, open up a different style sheet, and use Paste to copy the
tag in the new chapter's style sheet.

•:.

Naming Tags
Because Ventura lets you have up to 128 tags in your style sheet,
but the Assignment List only can show you 12 at a time, you're
going to spend a lot of time scrolling up and down looking for
tags unless you pay careful attention to how you name your tags.
The following tips will help you keep your style sheet well organized and make tagging go much faster.

Tip 9 - 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Organize Your Tags into Groups
In the list of tags, the tag names are shown in alphabetical order,
so it's easy to organize your tags into groups. For example, any
time you generate a new tag that is specific to a certain document or chapter, give it a unique prefix, such as C5 for chapter
five. That way, when you get near the 128-tag limit and want to
prune some tags from your style sheet, you'll know which ones to
take out and which ones to keep in.

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

175

Tip 9 - 9 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Place the Most Frequently Used
Tags on Top
As noted above, Ventura keeps the list of tags in "ASCII-alphabetical" order, i.e., the order in which symbols are listed in the ASCII
character set: I, '~ #, $, %, &, " (, ), ~ +, " -, ., /, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, :, j, <, =, >, ?, @, A, B, C, etc. You should think
carefully about the tags you want to appear at the top ofyour list,
so that you don't have to scroll to get to them. Then name them
(or rename them) so that their first character is a number or a
punctuation mark like # or +.

Tip 9 - 1 0 · - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Don't Use All Caps in Tag Names
If Ventura loads a chapter that contains an embedded tag name
that doesn't happen to be in the current style sheet, it displays this
name in the Assignment List in all caps. Some people refer to such
tags as 'foreign tags." As described in the Tip 9-10, such tags can
overload your style sheet and may have to be removed from the
text file. The reason you should avoid naming your tags with all
caps is that otherwise you won't be able to distinguish them from
other tags when you see them in the Assignment List.

•:.

Deleting a Tag
The maximum number of tags in a style sheet is 128. If you get
close to that number, you'll need to start deleting tags. The procedure is to select Update Tag List from the Paragraph menu (or
press Ctrl-K), select Remove Selected Tag, and make sure that the
top line of the dialog box names the tag you want to get rid of
and that the bottom line names the new tag you want assigned to
all paragraphs that had been tagged with the old tag.

176

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

D:\TYPESET\&800K-P1.STY
Base Page Settings
• Page Size &
Layout

• Margins &
Columns

• Sizing &
Scaliug

Orientation:
Paper Type & Dimension:
Sides:
Start On:

*of Columns:
Settings For Left Page

Portrait
Letter, 8.5 x II in.
Double
Right Side

• Ruling Box
Around

I

Top:
Bottom:
Left:
Right:
Widths/Gutters-I:
Settings For Right Page
Top:
BOllom:
Left:
Right:
Widths/Gutters-I:

01.50 inches
01.17 inches
01.25 inches
01.25 inches
06.00 inches

Flow Text Around:
Upper Left X:
Upper Left Y:
Frame Width:
Frame Height:

On
00.00 inches
00.00 inches
08.50 inches
11.00 inches

• Vertical Rules

01.50 inches
01.17 inches
01.25 inches
01.25 inches
06.00 inches

• Frame
Background

Color:
Pattem:
Dashes:
Space Above Rule I:
Height of Rule I:
Space Below Rule I:
Height of Rule 2:
Space Below Rule 2:
Height of Rule 3:
Space Below Rule 3:
Settings For Left Page
Inter-Col. Rules:
Rule I Position:
Rule I Width:
Rule 2 Position:
Rule 2 Width:
Settings For RighI Page
Inter-Col. Rules:
Rule I Position:
Rule I Width:
Rule 2 Position:
Rule 2 Width:

Black
Solid

Off
0.750 inches
0.010 inches
0.000 inches
0.000 inches
0.000 inches
0.000 inches
0.000 inches

Off
00.00 inches
0.000 inches
00.00 inches
0.000 inches
Off
00.00 inches
0.000 inches
00.00 inches
0.000 inches

Color: White
Pattem: Hollow

Color Settings
Screen Display:
Color Number 0 (White):
Color Number I (Black):
Color Number 2 (Red):
Color Number 3 (Green):

Color Number 4 (Blue):
Color Number 5 (Cyan):
Color Number 6 (Yellow):
Color Number 7 (Magenta):

Shades of Gray
(000.0, 000.0,000.0, 000.0)
(100.0, 100.0, 100.0,000.0)
(000.0, 100.0,100.0,000.0)
(100.0,000.0, 100.0,000.0)

(100.0, 100.0,000.0,000.0)
(100.0,000.0,000.0,000.0)
(000.0,000.0,100.0,000.0)
(000.0, 100.0,000.0,000.0)

Tag Settings
BodyTe~-------------------------------------------------------------------• Fonl

• Alignment

Face:
Size:
Style:
Color:
Overscore:
Strike-Thru:
Underline:
Double Underliue:

Times
12 points
Nonnal
Black
Off
Off
Off
Off

HolZ. Alignment: Iustifled
Vert. Alignment: Top
Text Rotation: None

Hyphenation:
Successive Hyphens:
Overall Width:
First Line:
Relative Indent:
In/Outdent Width:
In/Outdent Height:
In From Right to Decimal:
• Spacing

Figure 9-6: A sample of a style sheet printout.

USENGLSH
2
Column-Wide
Indent

Off
00.08 inches
I
00.00 inches

Above: 0.000 inches
Below: 0.000 inches
Inter-Line: 13.98 fractional pis

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

177

Tip 9-11--------------------------------------

Exceeding the Tag Limit
Sometimes, when trying to load a text file into a chapter, you
may get the error message, "You've used 128 tags, files, or chapters" even if there are less than 128 tags in your current style
sheet. The reason for this seemingly erroneous error message is
that when Ventura counts tags, it includes the tags you created
in your style sheet; the tags automatically created by Ventura
itself for captions, box text, and other attributes; and any
'foreign tag names" it encounters (see Tip 9-9 about foreign tag
names). To correct the problem, use your word processor to remove foreign tag names from the text file .

•:.

Printing a Style Sheet
Here's a very useful feature - the ability to print out the contents
of a style sheet. The procedure is as follows. When you're done,
you'll have a printout that looks like Figure 9-6.
• From the File menu, select Load Diff Style and select the
name of the style sheet you want to print.
• Press Ctrl-K, then select Print Style Sheet. Or select tagging
mode, pull down the Paragraph menu, select Update Tag
List, then select Print Style Sheet.
• Type a name for the text file that Ventura will generate to
contain the contents of the style sheet. Note: the name can
be anything - it doesn't need to be the same as the name
of the style sheet itself - but it should end with the extension GEN, indicating that it is a text file generated by Ventura. Select OK.
• Select Cancel to quit the Update Tag List menu.
• From the File menu, select New to clear your screen. When
prompted, save your current chapter.
• From the File menu again, select Load Text/Picture. For
Type of File, select Generated.

178

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• From the Item Selector, select the name of the generated file
that holds the contents of the style sheet. Select OK.
• Select the base page frame, then select the name of the file
from the selection list on the left. The contents of the style
sheet will now appear on the screen.
• From the File menu, select Load Diff Style. From the \ TYPESET directory, select STYLOG .STY.
• Your style sheet will now automatically format itself according to the specifications of the tags in STYLOG.STY. To have
a paper record of the style sheet, print the chapter.

•:.

Generated Tags
When you create text within Ventura using the box text, caption,
header, and footer operations, Ventura automatically creates tags
called generated tags. These tags all begin with the letter Z and
are not listed in the sidebar unless you select Set Preferences from
the Options menu and specify Generated Tags: Shown.

Tip 9 - 1 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Changing Generated Tags
You can alter generated tags in the same manner used to alter
other tags. You can also assign new tags to boxed text and captions; headers and footers, however, can only be tagged with the
generated Z tags. This allows text in two different boxes, or text
for two different captions, to be formatted with different fonts
and typographiC attributes. Thus, text in one box can look one
way and text in another box can look another way. That is not
the case with headers and footers, however.

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

179

Profik------------------------------------------VPToolbox
How many times have you wondered just exactly what all the
tags in a Ventura style sheet did? How many times have you
wanted to copy all your files to another directory and then delete
the old files in one swell foop? How many times have you wanted
to change all your Times Roman tags to Garamond, or have a
sample of what each tag really looks like? How many times have
you wondered why you didn't study the piano, or programming,
or something useful like that?
Well, you may never be able to play the piano, but you won't
need to know how to program to get out of Ventura vertigo.
VPToolbox is an endlessly useful program that integrates the most
needed Ventura utilities into one program. Most of its features are
oriented toward managing style sheets, allowing you to manipulate tags and style sheets in ways unavailable within Ventura.The
capabilities include the following:

. Keeping Track of Tabs. VPToolbox can give you a summary of all the tags in a style sheet (Figure 9-8), and also

Figure 9- 7: The

main menu for
VPToolbox.
Here, you
decide whether
you wanta
detailed listing
of text,
graphic:,~ style
sheet, or
chapter files.

VPToolbox I Advanced Edition v. 3.88
Copyright (c) 1987, 1988 SMA Inc. All rights reserved.

Select or de-select Pllblication
Pllb I icat ion:
Chapter:

180

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Figure 9-8: This is

VPToolbox's list of
the tags in a
selected style sheet.
For each tag,
information is
provided on font,
style, ruling lines,
and alignment. In
addition, the top of
the screen shows
number of tags,
page parameter~~
and type ofprinter.

Uieul ng St~le Sheet: C: \UB\2S\TEST3. STY lB/18/88
Output Device:
Tag Count: 111 XUP version: 2
POSTSCRIPT
Page diMensions:
B8.S8 in. x 11.88 in" 2-sided Portrait, 1 colUMn
Tag NaMe

Size Face

.. 3 COLUI1N
6-BOX TITLE
A
ACCESSBOX
ADDRESS
ADDLIHITE
AFTER BOX
AFTER I1IHOR
ANSLIER
ANSLIER TEXT
BIG
BIG BOX
BIG HEADER
BODV TEXT
BOX AROUHD
BOXY

12
12
11
12
14
12
12
13
12
12
12
12
24
12
13
11

GaraMond
Suiss
Palatino
GaraMond
Palatino
Gara",ond
Gara",ond
GaraMond
GaraMond
GaraMond
Dutch
GaraMond
Dutch
GaraMond
Dutch
Helv-Harrou

[fa St~le Functions

Figure 9-9: The

Zoom feature of
VPToolbox gives
you a detailed
description of a
tag, including
font, alignment,
spacing, break,~
tabs, special
effects, attribute
overrides,
paragraph
typography, and
ruling lines.

Style Rules

Al ignMent Special

NorMal
Bold
BdItal
Nor",al
BdItal
NorMal
Nor",al
HorMal
NorMal
HorMal
HorMal Above
NorMal
Bold Belou
HorMal
HorMal Box Around
Italic

Left
Centered
Centered
Left
Left
Left
Left
Lert
Left
Left
Lert
Lert
Centered
Justified
Justified
Lert

Tag Functions Output

Uieuing Style Sheet: C: WB\2S\TEST3. STY 18/18/88
Output Device:
POSTSCRIPT
Tag Count: 111 XUP version: 2
Page diMensions:
88.58 in. x 11.88 in., 2-sided Portrait, 1 colUMn

3 COLUI1H
FOHT
Face: GaraMond Size: 12 Style: Norltal
Overscore: Off
Strike-Thru: Off
Underline: Off
Double Underline: Off

Color: Black

ALIGHI1EHT
Horiz. AlignMent: Lert H~phens: 1st Diet (UnliM successive)
Uert. AlignMent: Top
Text Rotation: Hone
In frOM Right to DeciMal: 88.88 in.
Overall Uidth: ColUMn First Line: Indent , 88.88 in.
Indent/Outdent height: 1 Relative Indent: Hone
SPACIHG
Above:

[DIll

8, 11

Belou:

8, 8

181

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

lets you zoom in on a tag to find out its specific contents
(Figure 9-9). All reports are created as pre-formatted VP
chapters, ready to print. Like Ventura, the program lets you
print out a list of the tags in a style sheet and a description
of the settings for each tag, but VPToolbox goes further in
that it can also show you an example of the style sheet applied to a sample chapter.

. Printing a Sample of Every Tag. Anyone who's used Ventura on a regular basis has longed for a report which would
print a sample of each tag. VPToolbox has this report, and
it's invaluable for fast and easy style sheet reference, especially when more than one person must use the same style
sheet. This sample report is much more useful than a mere
printout of attributes because it's visual and instantly understandable.
• Copying a Tag from One Style Sheet to Another. This is
perhaps the most useful feature of VPToolbox. The procedure is easy. Just select a tag, select copy, and then select
the name of the destination.

Figure 9-10:

The Usage
feature tells you
which tags are
actually used in
the current
chapter, a good
thing to know
when you need
to delete some
tags to make
room for more.

Uieuing Style Sheet: C: \UB\2S\TEST3. STY 19/18/88
Output Device:
POSTSCRIPT
Tag Count: 111 XUP version: 2
Page diMensions:
98.59 in. x 11.9B in., 2-sided Portrait, 1 colUMn
Tag HaMe
I- BIG BOX

BIG HEADER
BODll TEXT
BOX AROUHD
BOXY
BULLET
Cl
C2
C3
CAPTION BOT
CAPTION RGHT
CEtlTER 18
CH3-S'z'STEHS
CHAPTER U
CHAPTER TITLE
CITIZENS

[fa

Size Face
12
24
12
13
11
12
12
12
12
11
12
18
12
150
30
12

GaraMond
Dutch
GaraMond
Dutch
Helv-Harrou
GaraMond
GaraMond
GaraMond
GaraMond
Avant Garde
Dutch
Sulss
Avant Garde
GaraMond
GaraMond
GaraMond

Style Rules
tlorMal
'Bold
NorMal
HorMal
Italic
NorMal
tlorMal
tlorMal
tlorMal
Ital ic
Italic
tlorMal
MorMal
NorMal
Italic
tlorMal

AlignMent Special

Left
Centered
Justified
Box Around Justified
Left
Justified
Left
Left
Left
Justified
Right
Centered
Above/Belou Left
Centered
Above
Left
Left
Belou

Style Functions Tag Functions Output

182

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

· Comparing Style Sheets. You can find out which tags are
identical between two style sheets, even if they have different names.
· Finding Out Which Tags Can Be Deleted. It's easy for a
style sheet to swell to the 128-tag limit, but when that limit
is reached, it's often difficult to know which tags can safely
be deleted. Here's where VPToolbox can play a helpful role
by reporting on which tags in a style sheet are actually used
by a particular chapter (see Figure 9-10). The tags that aren't
used can then be safely deleted. You never know just how
useful this is until you've opened an old chapter with 128
tags and can't remember which of them you actually need.
In addition to its style sheet management functions, VPToolbox
provides several important chapter management capabilities

· Copying and Moving Chapters. You can either copy or
move a chapter (and all its associated files) from one subdirectory to another.
· Deleting Entire Chapters. With Ventura itself, there's no
way to remove a chapter and all its associated files from
your hard disk. VPToolbox lets you do it.
· Cataloging Your Files. Another new feature is a "catalog"
of all your Ventura files, no matter where they reside on the
hard disk. This document management feature allows you to
enter a descriptive title, name of author, and notes. Times
and dates are automatically inserted.
VPToolbox offers an "Advanced Edition." This version of the program includes two important additions. First, it lets you convert
the information contained in the document management catalog
into dBase III or Comma Delimited ASCII format for use with any
database program.
The program also offers "Global Style Sheet Editing." This feature
lets you make one change for something such as typeface or
leading, and have it affect all tags at once. Suppose you want to
change all tags which use the Times Roman typeface and turn

Chapter 9: Working with Style Sheets

183

them into Garamond. With the Advanced Edition, you can make
this change in one keystroke, no matter how many tags are involved. Or you could increase the leading in all tags by 10%.
These types of changes can be time-consuming to make in Ventura when you have to make them individually for many tags.
VPToolbox does it in a flash and this feature is great for major
changes.

For access information on VPToolbox, see the Utilities section of
Appendix A, "Resources."

.:.

Questions and Answers
Q:

Several tag names in the tag list are in
uppercase, for example, FIRSTPAR, BULLET,
NAME. These tags are occupying precious
space in my chapter, because I cannot add
new tags beyond 128. When I select Remove
Selected Tag from the Update Tag List dialog
box, I get this message: "No tag by the name
you've typed exists. Therefore, it can't be
renamed, removed, or converted to. "

A:

If you load a text file into Ventura that contains tag names not in
your current style sheet, Ventura will list these in uppercase letters.
To remove them, you need to go into your original document
with a text editor and delete the tag names.

184

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Q:

After I tagged some text in a frame, the text
disappeared. What happened?

A:

The problem is one of the following: (1) You switched to a font
that was too large for the frame. Ventura won't display or print
any characters that it can not fit entirely within a frame. (2) You
specified additional space above the text, which pushed the text
out of the frame. To fix the problem you need to change the
specifications associated with the tag. This might seem impossible, however, since the text is no longer visible. If you haven't
selected any other paragraphs, the paragraph you were working
with should still be selected even though it is not visible. If the
paragraph is no longer tagged, you can still fix the problem by
tagging another paragraph with the same tag and changing the
font or the spacing for that paragraph. The change will automatically apply to the disappeared text and it will appear again.

Formatting Text
You're finally ready. You've got a computer, a monitor, a printer,
and a mouse. You've learned about how to load a text file into
Ventura and how to select a style sheet. Now for the moment of
truth, the raison d'etre of desktop publishing: formatting text. In
this chapter, we'll start with some tips on formatting for those
becoming acquainted with Ventura. Then we'll analyze how the
options for formatting text can be broken into categories, and
examine these categories one at a time .

•:.

Advice for Beginners
One of the most difficult aspects of Ventura for beginners is its
richness. There are so many menu options, each with so many
sub-options, that it's hard to know where to start. In fact, you
don't really need to learn all that much to use Ventura effectively.

186

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

At least 90 percent of all the formatting work you'll ever need to
do with Ventura involves only four menu options: one in the
Frame menu (Margins & Columns) and three in the Paragraph
menu (Font, Alignment, and Spacing). Once you've mastered this
core subset of Ventura's features,you can start experimenting
with other features, which are useful for unusual situations or
typographic fine-tuning.
The illustrations on the following pages show the four key dialog
boxes, with notes on each. The dialog boxes shown here are for
the DOS/GEM version. Although the dialog boxes for the Windows version are superficially different, their structure and contents are virtually identical.

Tip 1 0 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Work with the Menus from
Left to Right
As you format text with Ventura, a logical way of working is to
move from the left side of the menu bar to the right side. Start in
the File menu to load a chapter or a text file. Next, use the
Chapter menu to change the page orientation, if necessary. Then
pull down the Frame menu and select Margins· & Columns to
determine the overall appearance ofyour page. Then tag a paragraph and begin moving through the options in the Paragraph
menu, starting with Font, then Alignment, and working your
way down. Of course, as you continue to work on formatting a
document you jump around from menu to menu, but the pattern
of starting from the left side of the bar is a sound, logical way to
get things going.

Tip 1 0 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Changing Measurement Units in
Dialog Boxes
You can change measurement units in any dialog box merely by
pointing the cursor at the measurement units (e.g., inches, picas

187

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

The Margins & Columns Dialog Box
If you point at the word "inches" and
click, the measurement units will change
to centimeters. Click again and they
change to picas & pOints, then to fractional pOints. All the measurements in this
dialog box will be translated automatIcally, but no other dialog boxes will be affected.

In starting a new chapter, the first
thing you should do Is specify the
number of columns. While Ventura
can format as many as eight
columns of text on a page, it's rare
that any layout would have more
than four columns.

MARGINS &COLUMNS
It of ColuJIlns:

D

m rn m m m rn rn

Settings For: I Left Page I l.mrtJi'@i
Gutters

aftee
efLeO
efUm
aft eo
aa,eo
ee,ee
ee,ee

Top:
BottoJll:
Left:
Right:

Margins
91.JJ inches
91.B9
91. BB
B1.25

Calculated Width = BS.S9
Actual FraJile Width = BS.S9

I Make Equal Widths I ~::..I:.L"";"=''''':''':;;='''''--''

..............

Typically, a gutter (the space between two
columns) is one to two picas in width. If
you set your gutter widths first, then select
Make Equal Widths, Ventura will do the
work of calculating the widths of the
columns so that they fill up the available
space.

This pair of entries tells you whether the numbers
you have entered for column and gutter widths
match the actual width of the frame.
Figure 10-1

Most layouts are symmetrical. In
that case, you enter the settings
for either the left page or the
right page (it doesn't matter
which you start with), then select
Copy To Facing Page. Ventura
will create a mirror image of your
page layout on the facing page
by inverting the left and right margin settings.

188

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

The Font Selection Dialog Box
a PostScript
printer width table, the Size bar will say
"Custom," as is the case here. You
then type in the desired size in halfpoint increments up to 255 paints. If
your width table is for a LaserJet, the
available sizes are listed in the Size bar.

If you have installed

This list shows the fonts in your printer width
table. To print with these fonts, you must
also have the necessary printer font files,
or else the fonts must be resident in your
printer. For example, the PostScript width
table lists 42 typeface families, although
most PostScript printers only come with 11
resident typeface famiilles.

::::::::: Sue ::::::

....'1"""1~'

r-~ I

Red
Green
Blue
C!lan
Yellow
Magenta

I

..... 6l!lpha
6oud!l Old St!lle
+ Helvetica Li ht

::: Color ::

+

Custon Size: 012.51 points
Overscore:
Strike- Thru:
Underline:
Double Underline:

Off
Off
Off
Off

t
t
t
t

Text attributes that apply to the whole
paragraph are specified here. Text attributes that apply only to a letter,
word, phrase, or line are controlled
with the Set Font menu and the Assignment List in text mode.

If you select Spot Color Overlays: On in

the Print menu, Ventura will print a
separate sheet for each color. Colors are
shown in black, but the name of the
color is printed at the top of the page so
that the printer can produce spot color
overlays.

The available styles and weights for the current font
are listed in the Style bar in black. Those styles and/or
weights that are not available are shown in gray.
Figure 10-2

189

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

The Paragraph Alignment Dialog Box
The options for horizontal alignment are left-justified (also called "rag right," because the right
side of the text block is not aligned), centered,
justified (aligned with both left and right margins), right-justified, and decimal (aligned with
the last period on the line, as In a financial
table).

With LaserJet printers, you
can print vertical and
horizontal text, but not
together on the same
page.

III

"box labels" ALIGNMENT

Hurz. Alignl11ent: Decil11al
lIert. Alignl'lent: Top
Text Rotation: 9B
HIJphenation: USEN6LSH
Successive HIJphens: 3
Overall Width: ColUMn-Wide
First Line: Indent
dative Indent: Off·

t
t
t
t
t
t
tt

J

In/Outdent Width: DBJBB picas &po'nts
In/Outdent Height:
DB1 lines

Good typography calls
for not having
words broken
on more than
about three
successive
lines.

n FroM Right to DeciMal: D4JBEi
MaxiMUM Rotated Height: 10 BB
J

I
The options here
are column-wide
(for most text) and
frame-wide (when
you want a headline to go across
multiple columns).

When text is rotated, the starting point
of the text block remains stationary. The
Maximum Rotated Height defines the
maximum lenth of a line of text in the
rotated blcck.

Figure 10-3

OK

Don't confuse First Line: Indent with
the In From Left and In From Right
settings in the Paragraph Spacing
menu. Indents usually apply only to
the first line, unless you specify more
than one line under In/Outdent
Height. The Indent or Outdent Width
is always measured relative to the
left edge of the paragraph, not relative to the edge of the column.

190

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

The Paragraph Spacing Dialog Box
Above adds space above a paragraph;
Below adds space below a paragraph.
The rule for combining the two is explained in Table 10-2 on page 236. InterParagraph spacing only takes effect between paragraphs with the same InterParagraph setting. Hint: generally, InterParagraph spacing should be set to O.

"Bod~

If you point at the words "picas &
points" and click, the measurement
units will change to fractional paints ..
Click again and they change to inches,
then to centimeters. All the measurements in this dialog box will be translated automatically, but no other
dialog boxes will be affected.

Text" SPACING

Above:
Below:
Inter-Line:
Inter-Paragraph:

~-+--

BBJ111 picas &points
BBJBa'
B1JB4 picas &points
BB,BB

Add in Above: I Always I When Not at

(olu~n

Top

Settings For: I Left Page I I;mlljil@i
In Fro~ Left: B9 JBB picas &points
In Fro~ Right: BBJBB
Inserts: I (OPM To Facing Page I
OK
The Settings for Left and Right
Pages is one of the most overlooked features of ventura. It
lets you create tags that
have different offsets (though
not different line and paragraph spacing) depending
on whether they are on a leftor right-facing page.

Figure 10-4

I I Cancel I

For most tags you should use When
Not at Column Top. Otherwise,
there will be a gap above a paragraph that starts at the top of a
page.

ThiS copies the right page settings to the left page, and
vice versa.

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

191

& points) and clicking. Ventura will automatically make the con-

version for all the measurements in the dialog box, but other
dialog boxes will not be affected.

Tip 1 0 - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Making Mistakes with
Picas and Points
When you're entering measurements for picas and points in
dialog boxes, it's easy to neglect both decimal places reserved for
points. For example, you might make the mistake of typing 1,6
instead of 1,06. Ventura will interpret the 1) 6 as 1 pica and 60
points .

•:.

An Inventory of Ventura's Typographic Controls
Formatting text involves specifying the size, style, and position of
each symbol, word, and block of text on the page. In the world of
typed and word-processed business documents, the task was relative1y simple. The selection of type was generally limited to a
single font, and positioning text on the page required setting only
a handful of parameters: the margins of the page; the alignment of
text (usually flush left, but sometimes centered or justified); the
indenting of paragraphs; and the amount of space (in increments
of whole and half lines) between lines and between paragraphs.
In Ventura, things become more complex right away, beginning
with the selection of type. Hundreds of different fonts are available, each in a wide range of sizes. The options for positioning
characters, words, and text blocks are correspondingly rich, providing a full range of typographic controls. The following is an
inventory.

. Page Margins. For the underlying page, as well as for any
new frame you draw on the page, Ventura lets you set the
top, bottom, left, and right margins.

192

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

· Margins Around Frames. Ventura lets you specify an
amount of padding around each frame.
· Columns. Each page can have up to eight columns of varying widths; the width of the gutters (space between
columns) is also adjustable.
· Horizontal Alignment and Tabs. Text can be left aligned,
right aligned, or centered. Text can also be justified (filling
up a defined space) or unjustified (also known as ragged
text). You can also align text on a decimal point. You can
set up to 16 tabs, aligned either left, right, center, or on a
decimal point. A major limitation that Still remains is that
tabs cannot be placed in justified text.
· Vertical Alignment. Text can be top aligned, bottom
aligned, or centered. Text can also be vertically justified, so
that it fills a page or frame.
· Offsets and Indents. Paragraphs of text can be offset from
the left, right, bottom, or top margins by a specified distance. One or more lines can also be indented relative to the
rest of a paragraph. Text can also be indented by a distance
relative to the length of the last line of the previous paragraph.
· Spacing Between Paragraphs. The distance between paragraphs can be specified and can vary depending on whether
the two paragraphs are of the same type (such as two paragraphs of plain text) or of different types (such as a header
followed by a paragraph of text).
· Spacing Between Lines. Interline spacing, or leading, can
be specified. That distance can also be automatically adjusted to accommodate large characters, fractions, or equations.
· Spacing Between Words. Termed spaceband control or
space width control, this lets you specify a minimum and
maximum amount of space between each word. In addition,
Ventura lets you insert a variety of fixed spaces between
words.

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

193

. Spacing Between Letters. This includes adjusting the
spaces between pairs of letters to create a better pairwise fit
(kerning), globally tightening up the spacing between letters
(tracking), and adjusting the spacing between letters on a
line-by-line basis to assist the justification process (letter
spacing).
· Ruling Lines. A close adjunct to text formatting, ruling lines
can be placed above, below, or around blocks of text. The
thickness of the lines can be specified, and the width can be
set either absolutely or relative to the width of the paragraph, the column, or the frame.
. Special Features. Ventura provides a number of special
formatting features, including bullets, large first character,
table formatting, and equation formatting.
While most text formatting is done on a tag-by-tag basis using the
options in the Paragraph menu, margins and columns are
controlled from the Frame menu. After specifying the number of
columns, you enter widths for each of the columns and for the
"gutters," or space between each column. Next, you enter values
for top, bottom, left, and right margins.

Tip 1 0 - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Measuring Tabs, Indents,
and Offsets
To see the dimensions ofyour margins, columns, and gutters) use
the Options menu (DOS/GEM version) or the View menu (Windows version) to show the column guides. You)ll see them represented by dotted lines. Note that all paragraph tag settings) including tabs, indents, and offsets) are measured Jrom the edge oj
the column) not Jrom the edge oj the paper.

194

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip 10-5---------------------------------------

Changing the Number of Columns
for Just One Page
If you

want to have a single page with a di.fferent number of
columns than the rest of your document, select Insert/Remove
Page from the Chapter menu, then select Margins & Columns
from the Frame menu and designate the desired number of columns. Finally, click on the name of the text file in the Assignment
List. The number of columns will change for the inserted page,
then resume as normal.

Tip 1 0 - 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Unprintable Zone
The position of text is always measured relative to the edge of the
paper, even if a particular printer is not capable of printing all
the way to the edge of the paper, as is normally the case with laser
printers. Ventura does not stop you from specifying margins for

Figure 10-5:

When setting
text on a skew,
draw a
diagonal line
Jor a guide, then
draw small
frames in a
stairway pattern.

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

195

frames that go into the unprintable edges of the paper; if you do
so, that portion of your page will simply be cut off.

Tip 1 0 - 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Setting Text on a Skew
To set text on a skew, as shown in Figure 10-1, select graphics
mode and select the line drawing tool, then draw a diagonal line
to mark the skew. Turn Line Snap on using the Options or View
menu. Using the line you have drawn as a guide, you can create
a stairway offrames, each one line in height, from the left margin to the skew line. Text will reformat to flow around the stairway and thus will align with the skew line .

•:.

Padding around Frames
Putting margins around frames, or frame padding, corrects the
problem of text running right up against frames inserted in text
blocks containing pictures or tables. To specify padding, select
frame mode, select the frame you want to place padding around,
select Sizing & Scaling from the Frame menu, and type settings for
Frame X Padding and Frame Y Padding. Frame X Padding sets up
a "no entry" zone on either side of the frame; Frame Y Padding
sets up a "no entry" zone above and below the frame .

•:.

Offsets and Indents
Having specified margins for your columns, you can further control the horizontal positioning of paragraphs using offsets and
indents. There are several things about these controls that tend to
confuse people:
• The first source of confusion is the difference between an
offset and an indent. An offset applies to the entire paragraph, while an indent usually applies only to the first line.
Usually, but not always: if you want to have more than one

196

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

How to Calculate the Position of a Line
Relative to the Edge of the Page
In some instances, it is necessary to figure out the location of a particular
line relative to the edge of the page. To do this, you can use the following
formula:
Distance of a line from left edge of page = A + B + C + D
Where:
A = Upper Left X position of the frame within which the text is located. This
is set by selecting frame mode, selecting the frame itself, selecting the Sizing
& Scaling option of the Frame menu, and specifying a value for Upper Left X.
B = The Left margin of the frame within which the text is located. This is set
by selecting frame mode, selecting the frame itself, selecting the Margins &
Columns option Qf the Frame menu, and specifying a value for Left Margin.
C = The In From Left space specified for the tag of the paragraph of that
text. This is set by selecting tagging mode, selecting the paragraph, selecting
the Spacing option of the Paragraph
menu, and entering a value for In From
Upper left X position
Left. This indent is referred to as an "ofof the frame
fset" or a "temporary indent," since it
can change from one paragraph to
Left margin of the
the next.
frame
D = the Indent Width. This only applies to the first line (or several lines) of
a paragraph. To set it, you start by seIn From Left setting
lecting tagging mode, selecting the
for the tag
paragraph, selecting the Alignment
option of the Paragraph menu, and
First line(s) indent setentering values for In/ Outdent Width
ting for the tag
and In/Outdent Height. In addition, you
can specify a Relative Indent, which
causes the line to be indented so that it
Distance from left
starts at the point at which the previous
edge of the paper
line ended.

+

+

+

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

197

line indented (or outdented) relative to the rest of the paragraph, you can do so by entering the number of lines next
to the In \ Outdent Height entry of the Alignment menu.
• The second source of confusion arises from the fact that offsets and indents are controlled in different dialog boxes.
Controls for offsets are located in the Spacing dialog box
under In From Left and In From Right; controls for indents
are located in the Alignment dialog box.
• A third source of confusion has to do with the reference
point from which offsets and indents are measured. The In
From Left and In From Right offsets for a paragraph are
measured from the margins of the column. Indents, on the
other hand, are measured relative to the rest of the paragraph .

•:.

Tabs
The way Ventura handles tabs is quite logical, but since it is different from the methods used by most other programs it tends to
cause confusion. Here are some things to keep in mind about
Ventura tabs:
• Tabs are measured from the edge of the current column
(not the edge of the text in that column). To find out where
the edge of the column is located, select Show Column
Guides from the Options menu.
• Tabs cannot be set in justified text. For ideas on how to get
around this limitation, see the section below on hanging indents.
• Once a tab is set, Ventura no longer performs word wrap
for that paragraph. That means you cannot use tabs for first
line indents.
• Ventura will preserve tabs set in most word processors but
not the settings for the tabs. Instead, it will substitute its
own settings.

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip10-B---------------------------------------

Using the Commafor
a Decimal Tab
With decimal tabs, the tab aligns with the decimal, a useful
feature for columns of money amounts. In European currencies,
a comma rather than a period is used for the decimal point.
Since Ventura looks for a period, you need to select Set Preferences from the Options menu (DOS/GEM version) or Edit menu
(Windows version) and specify a new Decimal Tab Character.
The comma is decimal 44.

TiP1~9------------------------------------

Using Fixed Spaces
Instead of Tabs
Occasionally, you want to tab a line a certain distance that does
not correspond to one of the tabs that have been set for that tag.
Rather than setting up a new tab (which will affect other paragraphs with the same tag), try using Em spaces (Ctrl-Shift-M)to
achieve a tabbing effect. After inserting the Em spaces, use the Set
Font button (DOS/GEM version) or the Text menu (Windows version) to convert them to 12-point type. That way their widths will
be 12 points, or 1/6 inch.
Em spaces are also handy to substitute for tabs in justified text,
since Ventura does not allow tabs in justified text. To insert an
indent into a single paragraph without affecting other paragraphs, use Em spaces. For a one-inch indent, insert six Em
spaces by pressing the Ctrl-Shfit-M combination six times.

Tip 10-10--------------------------------------

Decimal Tab Characters
Normally, when you specify a decimal tab (from the Tab selection
of the Paragraph menu), it is for the purpose of aligning columns
of dollar figures at the decimal point. Another use of the decimal

199

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

The Tab Settings Dialog Box
You can think of each tab stop as an Invisible marker. If the
tab type is Left, the text will start at the marker; If the tab
type Is Right, text will end at the marker; If the tab type Is
Centered, the text will center on the marker. If the tab type
is decimal, the decimal point will fall on the marker. Tabs
placed in justified text will be ignored by Ventura. Note that
tabbed text will not wrap to the next line. Note also that
you can designate any character as the decimal character, using Set Preferences In the Options menu.

The space to the tab
can be filled with
space, with ellipsis
marks, with underlining,
or with any other character. For example,
ASCII 197 will fill the
space with Em dashes.

I" 1 1 1·1
Tab T!,Ipe: Left
I
Tab Shown As: Open_$pace I
Tab Location: 12,8~ picas &points
Leader Char: Spaces

832 (ASCII)

Leader Spacing:
Auto- Leader:
01(
Leader spacing increments range
from 0 to 8: selecting 0 means
that Ventura will place no spaces
between characters, selecting 8
means that it will place 8 spaces
between characters. This spacing
applies to all tabs.

I Cancel I

Tab stops are always measured from
the edge of the current column. To
locate the column edge, turn on
column guides in the Options menu.
Measurement units can be changed
by pointing at them and clicking.
Doing so will not affect the measurement units used in other dialog
boxes.

If you turn Auto-Leader on, Ventura will automatically fill any empty

space remaining at the end of a paragraph with the leader character. This feature Is generally used in tables.

Figure 10-6

200

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

tab character is to create an invisible marker to arbitrarily align
lines of text. The best character to use for that purpose is I (ASCII
124). You can ((hide" this character in a line of text by using Set
Font to change its color from black to white (since it takes up
barely any horizontal space). By using the decimal tab option in
conjunction with this hidden character, you can position horizontal lines freely without using fixed characters or generating
mUltiple tags. Remember that text containing tags must be left
justified.

•:.

Breaks
Ventura's commands for page, column, and line breaks give you
some powerful tools for controlling the placement of text on a
page. The most commonly used type of break is the line break,
which is used as described below to simulate tabs in justified text.
Line breaks are also useful for certain types of tables, as illustrated
in Chapter 11, "Tables."
Selecting "Page Break: After" or "Column Break: After" bumps the
next paragraph to the following page or column respectively. Selecting "Before & After" makes the current paragraph appear by
itself on a page. You can use such a double break in conjunction
with Vertical Alignment: Middle to create a section division title
that appears by itself in the center of a page.
Setting Next Y Position to Beside Last Line of Prevo Para should be
done in conjunction with two other settings:
• Eliminating any line break with the previous paragraph.
• Setting Relative Indent: On in the Alignment dialog box.

The Result The result is a run-in header (such as the
one in this paragraph). To create such a header, set the line break
for the 24-point run-in to Before and the line break for the text
paragraph to After, with Next Y Position for the second paragraph
set at Beside Last Line of Prevo Para and Relative Indent for the

201

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

The Breaks Dialog Box
A little-known feature of the Page Break option
is that it also works as a frame break. If you have
a newsletter-style layout and are jumping text
from one frame to the next, tagging the last
paragraph with Page Break: After causes the
next paragraph to jump to the next frame.

The Before/Until Left option
forces the current paragraph to jump to the next
left-facing page, inserting
a blank right-facing page if
necessary.

If you select Normal

and don't have any
line breaks between
two paragraphs, the
new paragraph will
start on the same
line as the first line of
the previous paragraph. To keep them
from overlapping,
use the Spacing
menu to increase
the In From Right
spacing for the first
paragraph and the
In From Left spacing
for the second paragraph.

"Bod!,! Tel(t" BREAKS

I After I I Before & After I
I Before/Until Left I I BeforL'/Until Right I
(olullIn Break: 1m! I Before I I After I I Before & After I
0iJ '~mll";i I After I I Before & After I
'(I.I4y6l1 I Beside Last Line of Prev. Para I
Page Break: ~

Allow Within:

~ ~

[fu]

011
OK

Selecting Allow Within: Yes means
that Ventura is allowed to break a
paragraph between two pages.
Selecting No forces the entire
paragraph to the next page.

Selecting Keep With Next: Yes forces the current paragraph to always be on the same page as the next paragraph. This is generally used only for headers and subheads, not for regular text.

Figure 10-7

I Cancel I

Selecting Line Break:
No, Next Y Position: Beside Last Line of Prevo
Para, and Relative Indent: On (in the Alignment dialog) lets you
create a run-in subhead.

202

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

second paragraph turned on (Alignment dialog box). If you only
have to create one run-in header, it's easier to simply use Set Font,
but if you have a number of run-in headers it's quicker to use a
special tag.

Tip 1 0 - 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Frame Breaks
Ventura has no Frame Break option to let you push subsequent
text to the next Frame. To create a frame break effect, create a
new tag and call it Frame Break. To create the tag, select text
mode, press Enter to create a blank paragraph. You may see a 9f
mark, Ventura's way of marking paragraphs. If not, press Ctrl-T
Select tagging mode, select the paragraph mark (9f), select Add
New Tag (Ctrl-2), type Frame Break, select Breaks from the Paragraph menu, and select Page Break: After. Use this tag when you
are loading text into multiple frames on the same pages and wish
to break text to the next frame on the same page .

•:.

Simulating Tabs in Justified Text
Ventura doesn't allow you to place normal tabs in justified text. If
you do, the program will simply ignore them. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to format text with a hanging indent, such as
the following:
Section I.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote
shall not be denied or abridged by the United
States or by any State on account of race, color,
or previous condition of servitude.

With many word processors, you would format this paragraph by
specifying a negative indent for the first line of the paragraph,
then creating a tab that is the same as the indent for the rest of the
paragraph. With Ventura you need to separate the paragraph into
two separate paragraphs, typing them as follows:

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

203

section I.
The right of citizens of the United states to
vote shall not be denied or abridged by the
united states or by any state on account of
race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Select tagging mode, select the first paragraph, and select Breaks
from the Paragraph menu. If the dialog box shows Line Break: No
or Line Break: Before, you don't have to make any changes. Cancel out of the dialog box.

If the dialog box shows Line Break: After or Line Break: Before
and After, Cancel out of the dialog box and then press Ctrl-2 to
add a new tag. Type the previous paragraph's tag next to Tag
Name to Copy From, and type a new tag name next to Tag Name
to Add.
Select the Breaks option of the Paragraph menu and change the
setting to "Line Break: Before." Press Enter.
Now select the second paragraph, and press Ctrl-2 (Add New
Tag). Type the previous paragraph's tag next to Tag Name to
Copy From, and type a new tag name next to Tag Name to Add.
Select Spacing from the Paragraph menu and enter the amount of
the indent next to In From Left.
Select Breaks and specify Line Break: After.

•:.

Ruling Lines
Ventura allows the creation of a variety of ruling lines: horizontal,
vertical, surrounding frames, dashed, and shaded. You can add
ruling lines to either a frame or a paragraph tag. The choices are

204

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

either Ruling Line Below, Ruling Line Above, or Ruling Box
Around.
The first thing you need to do is specify the length of the ruling
line. The choices are Text (the width ~f the line of text), Margin
(the width of the column, minus the In-From-Left and In-FromRight settings for the current tag), Column, Frame, and Custom.
With the Custom option, you determine the starting point and the
length of the line.
The Windows version provides 16 different predefined ruling line
thicknesses and combinations of ruling lines. The options are as
follows: hairline, 1-point, 11/2-point, 2-point, 3-point, 4-point, 6point, 8-point, 10-point, 12-point, 18-point, double half-point,
thick-thin, thin-thick, triple, and triple half-point. If none of these
suits you, the User Defined option lets you specify the line thicknesses yourself.
In each of these cases, you must specify the line height within the
dialog box. You can indicate up to three ruling lines by indicating
Height of Rule 1, Height of Rule 2, and Height of Rule 3. If you
just want one line, simply specify a Height of Rule 1 and leave the
other heights blank. When you specify the Height of Rule, a line
or lines with the specified line height(s) will appear smack inside
the dialog box. If you do not see a line inside the dialog box, you
will not see a line in your document either.
If you have specified Height of Rule for more than one line, you
will have to indicate a Space Below Rule dimension also. If you
don't, the lines will merge into one thick line. The ruling lines
options give you a good deal of feedback right inside the dialog
box. You can immediately see the effect of your line height, spacing, and color pattern without even going to the page. However,
note that the width of the line shown in the dialog is not the
actual width it will appear on the screen. Instead, it is relative to
the total amount of vertical space available to the three ruling
lines.

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

205

Note: In the Ruling Line menus, you must also be sure to specify
a line width. If you set the width default to None, your ruling lines
will not appear on the page even though you can see them inside
the dialog box!

Tip 1 0 - 1 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reversed Type with
Ruling Line Above
To create white type on a black background, use the Ruling Line
Above option and set Height of Rule 1 to a value slightly larger
than the point size of the current font. Enter the same value for
Space Below Rule 3 and select the minus sign (-). Then change
the color of the font to white.

Tips 1 0 - 1 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reversed Type with Box Text
Another way to create reversed type is to use the box text tool in
graphiCS mode. Draw a box using the box text tool. Set Fill Attributes to solid black, and use Set Font to change the color of the
text in the box to white.

Tip 1 0 - 1 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Disappearing Rules
If your

ruling line doesn't show, you probably forgot to specify
height of ruling line. Ventura will show you a ruling line right
inside the dialog box once you specify the line height.

Tip: 10-15-----------------------------------

Vertical Dashed Lines
Ventura has no command for vertical dashed lines, such as you
would use to indicate cutting out a page. Make a frame of zero

206

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

width and surround it with dashes

.:.

Vertical Alignment and Justification
The vertical alignment feature lets you align text with the top or
bottom of the current column, or center the text within the column. You have the additional option of vertically justifying text,
i.e., of having Ventura automatically add space so that the column
fills up the vertical space allotted to it.
Because of the many different kinds of elements that may inhabit
a page, the internal logic used by Ventura to vertically justify a
column of text is fairly complicated. The goal of the procedure,
however, is very simple: to add small amounts of space in the
least conspicuous way until the page is filled. Space is first added
around frames, up to a specified maximum. Next, it is added
between paragraphs, again until a certain limit is reached. Finally,
if adding space around frames and between paragraphs is not
sufficient, space is added between lines of text.

Tip 1 0 - 1 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Where to Enter SeUings for
Vertical Justification
Since vertical justification settings can be entered in the Chapter,
Frame, and Paragraph menus, which should you use? The answer is the Chapter menu for all settings except Between Lines of
Para, which is specified under Paragraph Typography. The others
should only be used if it is necessary to override the chapter menu
settings for a particular frame, paragraph, or table.

Tip 1 0 - 1 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Carding versus Feathering
Under Vert Just Within Frame, you have the option of carding or
feathering. Carding adds space in increments equal to the inter-

Chapter 10: Fonnatting Text

207

line spacing; feathering adds the exact amount of space that is
needed. The only time you should select carding is if the design of
your document requires lines of text to line up in adjacent columns and you have set the spacing for all tags in multiples of the
interline spacing. Otherwise, use feathering.

Tip 10-18-------------------------------------

Fixed Frame versus
Movable Frame
Under Vert. just. Around Frame, you should generally select Movable Frame rather than Fixed Frame. This allows Ventura to shift
frames on the page down as it adds space to justify the page. If
you select Fixed Frame, Ventura will only insert space within the
portion of the column that is located underneath the frame.

Tip 1 0 - 1 9 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

No Halfway Justification
Ventura never goes halfway in vertically justifying a page. If it
can't add enough space to accomplish the task without exceeding
the specified limits for adding space around frames, between
paragraphs, and between lines of text, it does nothing.

Tip 1 0 - 2 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Vertical Justification without the
Professional Extension or the
Windows version
Even if you don't have the Professional Extension or the Windows
version, both of which can automatically perform vertical justification, there are still some techniques that you can use if you
need to fill up a certain vertical space. Here are three:
• To slightly lengthen a column, you can create a tag that
adds a small amount of leading between each line. In traditional typesetting, this technique is known as feathering.

208

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

The easiest way to feather a paragraph is to create a tag
called One Point. Move the cursor between the paragraphs,
press Enter, and select tagging mode. Select the paragraph
sign between the two paragraphs, select Add New Tag, name
the tag One Point, select the Spacing option in the Paragraph menu, and set interline spacing to one point. The
effect will be to add a point of leading between the two
paragraphs.
• Make the tracking looser under Paragraph Typography.
• Increase the minimum and normal letter spacing under
Paragraph Typography .

•:.

Spacing between Lines and Paragraphs
Spacing between lines and paragraphs, termed leading in typography, is controlled by the Spacing option of the Paragraph
menu. For each tag, you can specify the spacing above the paragraph, below the paragraph, between lines of the same paragraph, and between two paragraphs with the same tag. In practice, the interaction of these various kinds of spacing becomes
rather complex. But by knowing the rules Ventura uses to combine different kinds of spacing, you can learn to control precisely
the desired distance between lines and paragraphs.
Spacing is always measured from baseline to baseline. Thus, the
space between two lines is measured from the baseline of the first
to the baseline of the second. Similarly, the space between two
paragraphs is measured from the baseline of the last line in the
first paragraph to the baseline of the first line in the second paragraph.

• Interline Spacing
To set the interline spacing for a paragraph, switch to tagging
mode and select a paragraph. Select the Spacing option from the
Paragraph menu. The Spacing dialog box will appear. Enter the

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

209

desired figure for Interline spacing. The figure you enter will determine the distance from the baseline of one line to the baseline
of the next line. Since type is measured in points, it is generally
best to use points as your measurement units. To change measurement units, point at the units themselves with the mouse and
click. For example, to change from inches to picas & points, point
at the word inches and click.
This Grow Inter-Line to Fit feature is located in the Paragraph
Typography dialog box. This should be set to On if you want the
program to stretch the leading when a paragraph contains a large
element, such as a fraction or a floating frame .

• Spacing between Paragraphs
Any two paragraphs will automatically be separated by at least
the amount of line spacing specified for the previous paragraph.
Additional paragraph spacing can be specified via three controls
in the Spacing dialog box. To set these controls, first select tagging mode and then select a paragraph. Select the Spacing option
from the Paragraph menu. The Spacing dialog box will appear.
The three controls are (1) Above, (2) Below, and (3) Inter-Paragraph.
To master Below, Above, and Inter-Paragraph spacing, you need
to know the rules for combining the two. These rules are summarized in Table 10-2.
In working with text, the rule of thumb is that you should set
Above and Below Spaces as the amount of additional space (besides normal interline spacing) that you want to have between
paragraphs. Set Interparagraph Spacing to O.

Tip 1 0 - 2 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Using Ctrl-Enter for New Lines
Ifyou want to start a

new line without starting a new paragraph,
use Ctr/-Enter rather than Enter. That way, Ventura will not start

210

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

How to Calculate Spacing between
Paragraphs
Case 1: When paragraph A
and paragraph B have the
same tag

Case 2: When paragraph A
and paragraph B have different tags

Interline space

Interline space for
paragraph A

+

+

+

Interparagraph space

+
Below space for A or
Above space for B
(whichever is greater)

Width of ruling lines,
including space
above or below
ruling lines

Total space between
paragraphs

+

+

Interparagraph
space (only if identical for A and B)
Below space for A or
Above space for B
(whichever is greater)

Width of ruling lines,
including space
above or below
ruling lines

Total space between
paragraphs

Table 10-2: The amount of space that Ventura places between two paragraphs is
determined by four factors: interline spacing, interparagraph spacing, above/below ~pacing,
width of ruling lines, and ~pacing above or below ruling lines.

Chapter 10: Fonnatting Text

211

a new paragraph and spacing will remain the standard interline
distance. No Space Above or Space Below distance will be added
between the lines .

•:.

Spacing between Words
When you specify that a paragraph is to be justified (i.e., all lines
the same length), Ventura squeezes the amount of space between
words or adds space between words. You can keep words from
being squeezed too closely together by changing the setting indicated under Paragraph Typography for Minimum Space Width.
While Ventura adheres religiously to the Minimum Space Width,
never squeezing words more closely than allowed by the minimum figure, the same is not the case with Maximum Space Width.
That setting is merely a guideline: when it must do so to justify a
line, Ventura will violate the Maximum Space Width. The result is
a "loose line." All loose lines are highlighted when you select
Show Loose Lines from the Options menu. To get rid of them, you
need to either edit the lines, change the hyphenation points, or
turn letter spacing on (see below) .

•:.

Fixed Spaces
If you want to create spaces that are of a fixed width and will not
be squeezed or expanded by Ventura, you can do so using
several fixed space options. Ventura provides the following types
of fixed spaces: figure spaces, Em spaces, En spaces, and thin
spaces.

• Figure Space
The width of a figure space is the same as the width of a numeral
(traditionally in typesetting, all digits from 0 to 9 are given the
same width). Such spaces can be used for aligning tables of numbers. To insert a figure space into a passage using Ventura's text

212

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

editor, hold down the etrl and Shift keys while pressing the F key.
To insert a figure space into a passage using your own word
processor, type a plus sign surrounded by angle brackets «+».

• Em Space
The width of an Em space is the same as the point size of the' font
in use. Thus, an Em space in a passage of 12-point Times Roman
is 12 points wide, or 1/6 inch. To insert an Em space into a passage using Ventura's text editor, hold down the Shift and etrl keys
while pressing the M. To insert an Em space into a passage using
your own word processor, type an underline surrounded by angle
brackets. «_».

• En Space
The width of an En space is half the width of an Em space. Thus,
an En space in a passage of 12-point Times Roman is 6 points
wide, or 1/12 inch. To insert an En space into a passage using
Ventura's text editor, hold down the Shift and etrl keys while
pressing N. To insert an En space into a passage using your own
word processor, type a tilde surrounded by angle brackets ( <~>).

• Thin Space
The width of a thin space is half the width of an En space. Thus,
a thin space in a passage of 12-point Times Roman is 3 points
wide, or 1/24 of an inch. To insert a thin space into a passage
using Ventura's text editor, hold down the Shift and etrl keys
while pressing the T. To insert a thin space into a passage using
your own word processor, type a vertical bar surrounded by angle
brackets « I ».

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

213

Tip 1 0 - 2 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Customized Fixed SPaces
Although Ventura provides four types of fixed spaces, you can
create more simply by typing a character and setting its color to
white. To do so, select text mode. Then type the character from the
keyboard and highlight it with the mouse by dragging the mouse
across it while holding down the mouse button. Select the Set Font
button. From the font setting dialog box, select White as the color.
On the screen the character will not be seen, but its place will be
kept in the text.

•:.

Spaces between Letters
The spacing between characters is controlled primarily by a width
table that is part of a font. Unless you are using a font editor to
create entirely new characters, there's no need to worry about this
width table. Because of the width table, Ventura automatically
performs proportional spacing, assigning more space to a W, for
example, than to an i. For altering the spacing between letters,
Ventura provides four types of controls: (1) manual kerning, (2)
automatic kerning, (3) tracking, and (4) letter spacing .

• Manual Kerning
The procedure for manually kerning a pair of letters is simple and
intuitive. To perform manual kerning you select text mode, then
hold down the mouse button and drag the cursor across the letter
immediately to the left of the letter space that you wish to close
up. While holding down the Shift key, press the left arrow key to
make the space narrower, or press the right arrow key to make
the space wider.

214

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Methods for Controlling Spacing within Words
and between Words
Adjustments to the space between individual letter pairs.

•

Kerning

•

Letter Spacing

Uniform addition of extra space between all the charac-

ters in a line if the line is "loose," i. e., if the space between the
words of that line exceeds the Maximum Space Width.
•

Tracking

Uniform tightening or loosening of the space between letters.

For most text, tracking should be neither tight nor loose. For headlines and titles, it should usually be tightened up.
•

The closest allowable distance between two

Minimum Space Width

words in

a line. Though Ventura will exceed the Maximum Space

Width if necessary to justify a line of text, it will never set words
closer together than the Minimum Space Width. A recommended
number is 0.6 times the Normal Space Width.
•

Normal Space Width

ing

The optimum space that Ventura aims at in justify-

a line. Generally, it should be set to 1.0 unless you need to
a paragraph to fit a particular space.

expand
•

Maximum Space Width

words in

The maximum

a justified line.

desirable

distance

between

If Ventura is forced to exceed this figure,

the line is considered "loose." To keep the space between words
within the Maximum Space Width limit, Ventura will add spaces
between letters, provided Letter Spacing is on.

Table 10-3: Methods for controlling the ~pacing within words and between words.

Chapter 10: Fonnatting Text

215

Tip 1 0 - 2 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kerning Increments
Each time you press the left arrow key, you close the space by .02
Em. Each time you press the right arrow key, you widen the space
by .02 Em. In other words, you would have to hit the space bar
50 times to widen the space between two letters the width of a
capital letter M.

Tip 1 0 - 2 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Don't Highlight the Last Letter
When you use the Shift-Arrow combination to widen or tighten
kerning, Ventura adds space on the right side of all the letters you
have highlighted. So if you're trying to uniformly tighten or
loosen the spaCing in a word or phrase, don't highlight the last
letter. Also, if you're kerning just one letter combination, just
highlight the first letter, not both letters.
To find out how much the space has been reduced, select Set
Font and check the setting for Kern. The amount of reduction or
enlargement in the space between the two letters is measured in
Ems, where one Em equals the point size of the font. So if the
paragraph is set in 12-point type, an Em is 12 points, or 1/6 inch,
wide.
In general, it is easier to adjust the kerning of letters by using the
shift and arrow key combination; however, an alternative method
is to type the desired amount of tightening or loosening directly in
the Set Font dialog box.
If you want to return to the original spacing, simply highlight the
character and select Normal from the Selection List.

216

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• Automatic Kerning
The manual kerning procedure described above lets you interactively adjust the spacing between any pair of characters. Automatic kerning means that Ventura will use the kerning information
contained in your printer width table to automatically adjust all
instances of particular letter combinations, such as AV and To.
This assumes, of course, that your printer width table contains a
table listing the spacing adjustments for particular character combinations. You can turn automatic kerning on or off either for the
chapter as a whole (Chapter menu: Chapter Typography), for the
current frame (Frame menu: Frame Typography), or for a single
tag (Paragraph menu: Paragraph Typography).
The question, of course, is: which menu overrides which? If you
tell Ventura at the chapter level to turn kerning off, at the frame
level to turn it on, and at the tag level to turn it off, what will
happen? The answer is best summarized in Table 10-5.

Tip 1 0 - 2 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Font Support for Automatic
Kerning
Automatic kerning only works if the width table for the fonts you
are using includes kerning information. Ventura ~ PostScript
width table does include such information. The width table for
the Laserjet fonts provided with Ventura does also. Many thirdparty fonts also include kerning information, including Laserjet
fonts from Conographic, The Font Factory, Mephistopheles, SoftCraft, VS Software, and Weaver Graphics. When you buy a font,
check with the vendor to see that it includes a width table with a
built-in table of kerning pairs.

217

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

Kerning Options

Menu/Option

Applies To

Notes

Chapter Menu:
Chapter
Typography

Automatic
Kerning for
All Tags

Pair Kerning: On enables
automatic kerning if the font
width table for your printer includes kerning pair information. It does not affect manual kerning.

Frame Menu:
Frame Typography

Automatic
Kerning for
All Tags in
the Selected
Frame.

Pair Kerning: On overrides the
Chapter menu for the selected frame.

Paragraph Menu:
Paragraph Typography

Automatic
Kerning at
the Tag Level

Automatic Pair Kerning: On
overrides the Chapter and
Frame Typography menus for
the selected tag.

Set Font

Manual Kerning

This option is used in Text
mode. It moves the selected
characters closer together or
farther apart.

Shift-Arrow Keys

Interactive
Manual Kerning

The selected characters are
moved closer together (left
arrow) or farther apart (right
arrow).

Table 10-4: Ventura'S five methods of kerning.

218

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Relation between Chapter, Frame, and
Paragraph Controls for Automatic Pair
Kerning
Chapter Menu
pqir Kerning

Frame
pair Kerning

Automatic
pqir Kerning

Letters
Kerned

On

On

On

YES

On

Off

On

No

Off

Off

On

No

On

On

Off

No

Off

On

Off

No

On

Off

Off

No

Off

Off

Off

No

On

Default

On

YES

Off

Default

On

No

On

Default

Off

No

Off

Default

Off

No

Table 10-5: Relation between chapter, frame, and paragraph controls for automatic

kerning.

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

219

• Tracking
The difference between kerning and tracking is that kerning
means tightening up particular pairs of characters whose shapes
allow them to fit more closely together, while tracking refers to
uniform tightening or loosening of an entire block of text. While
kerning is generally used to avoid unattractive gaps between particular characters, tracking is most often used to improve the appearance of passages of text that are set in large type, such as
headlines and titles. Generally, while normal spacing looks good
in regular text sizes, large type needs to be tightened up to look
right.
To change the tracking settings for a single tag, select a paragraph. From the Paragraph menu select the Paragraph Typography option. Select the Looser or Tighter options, and enter an
amount (always measured in Ems). As noted above, the size of an
Em is relative to the size of the font in the selected paragraph. If
you're using 12-point type, setting the tracking to 0.050 Ems
tighter would reduce the amount of space between each character by .6 points, or 1/120 inch.
To change tracking settings interactively for a passage of text, you
can switch to text editing mode and select a passage of text by
dragging the mouse across it, so that it appears in reverse video
on the screen. Now, if you hold down the Shift key and press the
left arrow, the space between each pair of letters will be closed
up by .02 Em, or about 1/4 point for each letter (assuming 12point type). In effect, what you're doing is applying the interactive kerning procedure to a group of letters all at once. Remember
not to highlight the final letter of the passage you're tracking.
When should you use interactive tracking with the Shift-Arrow
combination, versus tag-based tracking with the Paragraph Typography option? Generally, interactive tracking adjustment is better
when you need to reduce or enlarge the amount of space taken
up by a passage of text. Tag-based tracking is better for uniformly
tightening up the passages of text set in large fonts, such as headlines and titles.

220

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip 1 0 - 2 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

When to Use Tracking
With normal body type set in wide columns, tracking is usually
not necessary. Tracking, which uniformly increases or reduces
the spaces between characters, is used in the following situations:
• To improve the appearance of body copy set in certain
fonts. For example, 8.5-point Palatino looks slightly better
when the tracking is loosened by .05 Ems.
• In headlines and other text that uses large fonts (such as
the chapter titles in this book). Normally, large type sizes are
too loose without tracking.
• To squeeze copy within a given area. This is most often necessary to get rid of a word appearing by itself on the last
line of a paragraph. Once you have tightened up the tracking of the text above the solitary word, the word will jump
up to join the previous line.
• With italic fonts, which sometimes appear too loose without
tracking.

• Letter Spacing
The method that Ventura uses to create justified text is to uniformly increase or decrease the amount of space between the words in
a particular line. Of course, adding too much space between
words may give text an undesirable appearance. Lines in which
the amount of space between words exceeds a certain desirable
maximum are referred to as "loose lines." To deal with a loose
line, a typographic system can resort to increasing the amount of
space between letters within words. This is known as "letter spacing."
Here's how Ventura goes about setting lines. First, it tries to justify
lines by adding space between words. If the amount of space
between words exceeds a specified limit, you have a "loose line."
The specified limit is the Maximum Space Width setting shown in

Chapter 10: Fonnatting Text

221

the Typographic Controls dialog box, selected from the Paragraph
menu. As long as you have chosen not to activate letter spacing,
Ventura will go ahead and print loose lines, that is, lines in which
spaces between words exceed this maximum. However, if you
turn the letter spacing option on, Ventura will attempt to fix the
loose line by adding spaces between letters.
To turn letter spacing on, start by selecting a paragraph. From the
Paragraph menu select the Paragraph Typography option. Select
Letter Spacing: On and enter a figure next to "Up to:" This controls the maximum amount of space that Ventura will add to the
already existing spaces between characters to try to fill out the
line.
To see which lines in a document are in need of letter spacing,
select the Show Loose Lines option of the Options menu.

Tip 1 0 - 2 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Loose Lines
After you 'fix" a loose line by adjusting the letter spacing, the line
will still be marked as loose. Table 10-3 compares the various
options for controlling spacing within words and between words.

Tip 1 0 - 2 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Marker Characters
Ventura uses a variety of markers to indicate the hidden characters used for tabs, paragraph endings, discretionary hyphens, etc.
These marks will be shown on the page if you press Ctrl-T or select
Show Tabs & Returns from the Options menu.

Tip 1 0 - 2 9 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Line Snap
To activate line snap, change Line Snap to ((On" in the Options
menu. Line snap sets up an invisible grid on the page. The width

222

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

of this grid is the interline spacing used by the Body Text tag. The
reference point is the baseline of Body Text set on the base page.
You can use line snap for the following:
• Creating a thin frame that is exactly the same height as a
single line. Such a frame can be used to adjust vertical
spacing in a column of text.
• Making text in adjacent columns line up.
• Allowing two frames to adjoin each other exactly .

•:.

Special Effects
Over the years, designers and typographers have developed a
repertory of special techniques for enhancing the appearance of
text. When used effectively, these effects play not only an aesthetic role, but also serve to accent the underlying organization of
a document and make it more effective. In general, you should
avoid using special effects such as large first letters merely for
decorative purposes. The most commonly used special effects,
both of which are easily done in Ventura, are bullets and large first
characters. For an explanation of the big first character function,
see Chapter 20, "Using Fonts."

• Bullets
To create a tag that automatically places a bullet in front of a
paragraph, select Special Effects from the Paragraph menu. Note
that a bullet can be any character, not just the • mark. Look up the
chart of characters (shown on the inside cover of this book) and
type the appropriate ASCII character in the Special Effects dialog
box. Ventura lets you also use solid or hollow box characters for
bullets, even though these characters are not part of either the
Ventura International symbol set or the Symbol font. If you have a
PostScript printer, you can use character 110 of Zapf Dingbats for
a solid box (.) and characters 111 (0), 112 CO), 113 (0), and 114
CO) for hollow boxes. Use the Set Font Properties option to
change the size and font for the bullet.

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

223

Tip 1 0 - 3 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Changing the Size of the Bullet
Ifyou don't like the size of the bullet, you can create a larger one.
Tag the paragraph and select Special Effects from the Paragraph
menu. Select Bullet and select Set Font Properties. By indicating
a larger point size, you'll get a larger bullet even though the size
of your text will remain the same. If you select a large point size
for your bullet, you'll also have to use the Shift option to nudge it
down slightly.
•

Small

•

Medium

_

•

Large

Humongous

Brobdingnagian

Tip 1 0 - 3 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Using a Picturefor a Bullet
You can use a graphic image such as a piece of clip art or a
company logo for a bullet. The technique involves loading the
graphic into a "floating frame." It is described in Chapter 13,
((Pagination. "

224

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• Small Caps
are capital letters set one or two points smaller than
the size of current text. Among other purposes, they are useful for
making acronyms less conspicuous (e.g., UNICEF instead of
UMCEF). In Ventura, creating small caps is easy. Type the text as
normal, then highlight it (still working in text mode rather than
tagging mode) and select Upper Case and Small from the Assignment List. For an enhanced effect, keep the initial letters of words
that would otherwise be capitalized in regular caps, as shown
above .

SMALL CAPS

•:.

Questions

Q:

How can I make a headline that goes across
several columns ?

A:

Select tagging mode. Tag the headline. Select the Paragraph
menu. Select the Alignment option. Select Overall Width: FrameWide.

Q:

I turned kerning on in the Page Layout
dialog box of the Page menu, but doing so
did not cause the text to be kerned. Why not?

A:

In order for automatic kerning to function, the font you're using
must include spacing information for each kerning pair (each
pair of characters that is to be automatically kerned). Such information is part of PostScript fonts and the LaserJet soft fonts provided with Ventura.

Chapter 10: Formatting Text

225

Q:

What is the difference between tracking and
space width?

A:

Tracking is a way of globally tightening up the distance between
characters. Space width settings provide a mlnImUm, an optimum, and a maximum allowable amount of space between
words.

Q:

Kerning looked fine on the screen but did not
print correctly.

A:

This is an unavoidable side effect of the fact that the resolution
of graphic displays is so much lower than of output devices. At
the level of character spacing, true WYSIWYG is still in the future.

Q:

What does Letter Spacing: On/Off mean in
the Typographic Controls dialog box of the
Paragraph menu?

A:

As long as letter spacing is turned off, Ventura will only adjust
the spaces between words as it justifies lines of text. If the program does not succeed in keeping these interword spaces within
the limits you have specified for maximum spaceband values, it
will highlight the line as a "loose line." By turning on letter spacing, you can then allow the program to adjust the spacing between letters within words, so that the spaces between words
can be narrowed. Note that even after you turn letter spacing on,
the lines will still be highlighted as loose.

226

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Q:

Some of the measurements in the menus are
shown as --.-- rather than as numbers.
What is the meaning of these marks?

A:

They denote that the measurement is out of range. Generally,
this occurs when you are using fractional points as your measurement units. Any number larger than 99.99 points (about 1.4
inches) will be shown as --.-- fractional points. The solution is
to change measurement units, which is done by pointing directly
at the words "fractional points" and clicking with the mouse.

Tables
The easiest way to format tables and forms is to use Ventura's
powerful and flexible table generator, which is available in the
Windows version and in the Professional Extension with the
DOS/GEM version. Most of this chapter is devoted to explaining
the table generator, but we will also look at four other ways of
setting up tabular material: using tabs, using breaks, using ruling
lines, and using box text.

Tabs should be used to separate columns when the material in
each column can fit on one line and does not need to wrap to the
next line within that column. For the tabs to work, the paragraph
must be formatted as left or right aligned - not justified. Note:

Tabs are always measured from the edge of the current column.

228

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

The distance to this column is determined by tab #1, which is a left tab
set at 1.25/1 and measured from the
left edge of the column.

The distance to
the first column is
determined by the
In From Left measurement (in this
case set at .41
inches), not by a
tab.

The distance to this column is determined by tab #3, which is a
centered tab set at 3.70/1 and
measured from the left edge of the
column.

The distance to this
column is determined by
tab #4, which is a
decimal tab set at 4.90/1
and measured from the
left edge of the column.
Note how a parenthesis
mark is ignored by the
tab, even if no decimal is
present.

The distance to this
column is determined
by tab #2, which is a
right tab set at 2.85/1
and measured from
the left edge of the
column.

/
$100

$100

($100)

($100)

$100.00

$100.00

($100.00)

($100.00)

$100
($100)
$100.00
($100.00)

$100

$100

($100)

($100)

$100.00

$100.00

($100.00)

($100.00)

Figure 11-1: Examples of left, right, centered, and decimal tabs.

Chapter 11: Tables

229

In Figure 11-1, the edge of the column is shown by the vertical
line. The first column is set not with a tab but with the In From
Left setting for the paragraph. The other four columns show the
placement of various number formats for left, right, centered, and
decimal tabs.

Breaks rather than tabs should be used when the material in each
column needs to wrap. This method is also referred to as "vertical
tabs." To set up such material you proceed one step at a time. The
first step is to type the three paragraphs, tagging them with the
Body Text tag. The second step is to create a new tag for each
column and adjust the settings for In From Left and In From Right
so that they won't overlap after you line them up next to each
other. The final step is to adjust the settings for Line Breaks so that
the three columns line up next to each other. These three steps
are illustrated in Figure 11-2.

Complex tables are most easily handled by using the Box Text
tool in graphics mode, typing text into the boxes, and then setting
Line Attributes at None to eliminate the boundaries of the boxes.
The drawback of this method is that surrounding text does not
flow around boxes, so you'll have to create empty space or draw
a frame to contain the boxes. If you want to make the table move
with text, create it within a frame and then make the frame a
floating frame .

•:.

Ruling Line Below
Here's a quick way to create a simple table. Draw a box using
either the Box Text tool or the Add New Frame button. Place the

230

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

This is the first column. It will be positioned on the left side of the page.'

This is the second column. It will be positioned in the middle of the page.'
This Is the third column. It will be positioned on the right side of the pageO

Step 1: Type each column as a separate paragraph, using the standard Body Text tag.

This is the first column. It
will be positioned on the
left side of the page,'
This Is the second column. It will
be positioned in the middle of
the page.'
This is the third column. It

will be positioned on the
right side of the pageD

Step 2: Create three new tag:,~ one of each of the paragraphs. Use the In From Left and In
From Right settings of the Paragraph Spacing menu to position the paragraphs hOrizontally.

This is the first column. It
will be positioned on the
left side of the page .•

This i& the second column. It will
be positioned in the middle of
the page .•

This is the third column. It

will be positioned on the
right side of the pageD

Step 3: Use the Paragraph Breaks menu to position the paragraphs side by side. Set the Line
Breaks for the first paragraph to Before, for the second paragraph to None, and for the third
paragraph to After.

Figure 11-2: The three-step method for using line breaks to place text in adjacent columns.

Chapter 11: Tables

231

cursor inside the box or the blank frame and press Enter several
times.
Now switch to tagging mode and create a tag with Ruling Line
Below width set to "Frame." Your box or frame will instantly fill
up with evenly spaced lines. You can then type text on any of the
lines and create additional tags to change the spacing for a particular line or to align it left, right, or center. If you use a frame,
you can even make it a floating frame so that the table always
remains in the same position relative to the surrounding text, just
as though you were using the table generator in the Professional
Extension. You can also use Margins & Columns to create multiple
columns within the frame, and use Vertical Rules to set up vertical
ruling lines between the columns. To align your block of ruled
lines relative to other such blocks, set up the underlying page so
that it has a large number of columns, then set Column Snap and
Line Snap on. If you're using box text to create your lined blocks,
also set Grid Snap on .

•:.

The Table Generator
In the Windows and DOS/GEM versions (Professional Extension
only), the table generator is accessed by first clicking in front of a
paragraph, then selecting the Table icon. The generator lets you
do the following:
• Quickly set up a table with a specified number of rows and
columns.
• Add or delete rows and columns.
• Use thin, thick, or double lines to set off parts of the table.
• Hide some or all of the ruling lines.
• Create complex tables by merging cells.
• Type text directly into cells or else load it from a spreadsheet.
• Use shading to highlight selected cells.

232

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Insert/Edit Table Dialog Box
Ventura will create the
number of rows and
columns you specify here.
If you change your mind
later and want to add
more rows and columns,
use Ins Rowand Ins
Column in the Assignment
List.

If you select Overall

Width: Column, Ventura
will make the table fit
the width of the
column. The other option is Custom, which
lets you type In a figure
for width.

The table can be aligned
with the left or right margin, or
Indented a specified amount.
If you allow the table to
break across pages, you can
cause a specified number of
the header rows to be
repeated on the second
page.

TABLE
~

of RowsJ(oluAns:

Overall Width: (olunn
Korz. AlignAent: Left
Break Across Pages: Allowed
~ of Header Rows:
BBllll
BOH Around: On
Horz. Grid: On
Vert. Grid: On

I
:f..

I

I Z DOUBLE
I Z-SIN6lE-I Z=SINGLE

Space Above:
Space Between Rows:
Space Between (oluAns:
Space Below:
Vert. Just at Top:

Vert. Just at BottOA:

Box Around controls the
outer perimeter of the table;
Harz. and Vert. Grid control
the internal lines. You can
override these settings by
selecting a vertical or
horizontal line and applying
attributes from the Assignment List.
Figure 11-3

B6,37 inches
BBtSS

The figures for Vert.
Just at Top and Bottom control how
much space Ventura
can add above and
below the table to
vertically justify a
page.

I Cancel I
Space Above and Space
Below control the distance
to adjacent paragraphs.
Space Between Rows is
measured from the
baseline of one row to the
baseline of the next.

Chapter 11: Tables

233

• Apply any tag to text in cells, and thus easily control such
parameters as font, alignment, and spacing within cells.
• Change the width of a cell by holding down the Alt key
while dragging the edge with the mouse.
• Use absolute measurements to specify the width of a cell, or
set its width relative to other cells.
To show these capabilities in action, let's try creating a table from
scratch. The first thing to do is to select table mode by clicking on
the table icon. Next, position the mouse at the top of a page (if
the page is blank) or just above a paragraph (if the page contains
text) and click. You'll see a horizontal gray line on the screen.
Now click on the Ins New Table button (DOS/GEM version) or
the Insert New Table option of the Table menu (Windows version). The dialog box shown on the following page will appear
for the DOS/GEM version. For the Windows version, the dialog
box looks superficially different but provides the same functions.
At this point, you don't have to worry about what settings to
enter. Just accept the defaults and select OK. An empty grid will
appear on your screen, like this:

• Adjusting the Size of the Cells
Let's start by learning how to adjust the size of the cells. In editing
tables, there are two ways to do this. One is to set the size of each
column in proportion to other columns. To select a column, first
select table mode, then click anywhere in the column. Now select
Set Column Width from the Edit menu (DOS/GEM version) or the
Table menu (Windows version). If you don't see that as an option
in the DOS/GEM version, make sure you're in table mode. The
Table icon should be highlighted.

234

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

TABLE COLUMN WIDTHS
(oluPln NUPlber: I + I 1 I .. I
Width Setting: Variable
fi >?r.d

~'Hdth ~

I

ss,slS centiJlleters

proportions

Variable Width: 8881

I

I Cancel I

OK

Having selected Set Column Width, you'll see the dialog box
shown above.
If you select variable width in the dialog box, the columns will be
related to each other in size according to each column's setting for
variable width. Let's set the proportions to 2 for the first column
and 1 for the other two columns. The result looks like this:

err

I

err

I

err



delta

{)

omega

(J)

upsilon

1)

PI

II

epsilon

£

omicron

0

xi

~

PSI

'II

eta

11

phi

cp

zeta

~

SIGMA

L

gamma

y

pi

:n:

DELTA

tJ.

THETA

e

psi

1!J

EPSILON

E

UPSILON

Y

rho

p

GAMMA

r

XI

....

iota
kappa

K

• Method 3: Symbol Combinations
A third way to enter symbols is to type symbol combinations,
such as ==, which Ventura converts into == . Table 12-3 provides a
complete list of the available combinations .

• Special Symbol Commands
The integral

d\ sum C.~), product CD), sqrt CV), and union CU)

symbols require special treatment, since they are used in conjunction with other symbols. For example, integrals, sums, and
products involve limits placed above and below the symbol. The
square root sign must extend so that the horizontal bar covers the
entire argument to which the function is to be applied. EQN provides a special set of commands for handling these symbols, as
listed in Table 12-3.

Chapter 12: Equations

.:.

247

Font Changes
You can't use any of Ventura's text formatting options within an
equation. To select a typeface, point size, or weight, use the following commands:

· bold or fat (either command changes the following text to
boldface);

· font number (changes the font for the following text, with
number standing for the ID number of the font, as listed in
Appendix K of the Ventura manual);

· italic (changes the following text to italic);
· roman (changes the following text to normal type);
· size number (changes the following text to the point size
given by number);

· symbol (changes the following text to the symbol font,
equivalent to font 128).

Tip 1 2 - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Getting Help with Ctrl-C
When you are in the equation-editing screen, pressing Ctrl-C
shows you a list of common commands associated with the ten
function keys. If you select one of these function keys, Ventura
will automatically enter an example of the use of that command.
Table 12-4 lists the function keys, the command associated with
each, the complete EQN string that Ventura inserts when you
select one of these function keys, and the formatted result .

•:.

Italicized Variables and Romanized Functions
In mathematical typesetting, the default convention is to format
variables in italics and function names in roman (i.e., unitalicized
type). As a rule, EQN sets any individual letter or word in italics
unless you preface the letter or word with the roman command.

248

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

However, EQN does have an exception dictionary of common
function names, and it will automatically set these in roman. If
you are setting a function that is not on this list, you'll have to use
the roman command.
The functions that are automatically romanized are as follows: 1m,
Re, and, arc, cos, cosh, cot, coth, det, exp, for, if, lim, In, log, max,
min, sin, sinh, tan, tanh.

Table 12-3:
EQN Symbol Commands
Command

approx
cdot
ceiling

Effect

Creates an approximation symbol (...).
Creates a centered dot (.).
Creates a ceiling symbol (

D.

del

Creates a delta sign (iJ).

floor

Creates a floor sign ( l).

grad

Creates a gradient sign (V).

inf

Creates an infinity sign (00).

int

Creates an integral sign

if). Use sub and sup to set the

limits for the integral.
inter

Creates an intersection symbol (n). Use the from and
to commands to place text above and below.

left

partial

Used in conj~nction with a parenthesis, bracket, brace,
bar, floor, or ceiling character. It causes the character
to grow to fit the expression.
Creates a partial derivative sign (iJ).

249

Chapter 12: Equations

Command

Effect

prime

Creates a prime mark (' ).

prod

Creates a product symbol

(TI ). Use the from and to

commands to place text above and below.
right

Used in conjunction with a parenthesis, bracket, brace,
bar, floor, or ceiling character. It causes the character
to grow to fit the expression.

sqrt

Creates a square root symbol (-..I) that encompasses
the following expression.

sum

Creates a summation sign (~). Use the from and to
commands to place text above and below.

times

Creates a multiplication sign (x).

union

Creates a union symbol (U). Use the from and to commands to place text above and below.
Creates comma-bracketed ellipsis marks (, ... ,).

!=

Creates a not equal sign (¢).
Creates ellipsis marks ( ... ).

+-

Creates a plus-or-minus sign (±).

->

Creates a right arrow (-+).

<-

Creates a left arrow

»

Creates a greater-than sign (».

<=

Creates a less-than-or-equal sign (s).

>=

Creates a greater-than-or-equal sign

(~).

Creates a logical equal sign (=).

(~).

250

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Table 12-4:
Results of the Choose Equation Text Menu
Function
Key

Command

EQN String

Result

F1

fraction

1/2

1/2

F2

over

lover 2

1
2

F3

sub/sup

x sub {il\+l\l} sup {nl\+l\l}

XP/l 1

F4

square root

sqrt x

rx

F5

summation

sum from 0 to inf i

00

}:i
0

F6

integral

int sub 0 sup 1 {x I\dx}

F7

matrix

matrix{ccol{a above b}-ccol{c
above d}}

1

f oXdX
ac
bd

F8

center
column

ccol{a above b}

a
b

F9

center pile

cpile{a above b above c}

a
b

c
FlO

left/right

left ( {x} right)

(x)

Chapter 12: Equations

.:.

251

Quotation Marks
If you want a string of text to appear exactly as is, place quotation
marks around it. This prevents EQ N from interpreting the string as
a command .

•:.

Diacritical Marks
In contrast to other commands, which always precede the expression they modify, the commands that produce diacritical marks
come after the expression. Eight diacritical commands are recognized by EQN: bar, dot, dotdot, dyad, hat, tilde, under, and vec.
The following is an example of the use of these commands and
the results.

.:.

Command

Result

x bar
x dot

x
x

x dotdot

x

x dyad

x

x hat

x

x tilde

x

x under

?5.

x vee

x

++

-

How to Build an Equation
While the EQN language looks difficult at first glance, it's easily
mastered if you build your equations one step at a time. The
following is an example of the construction process. As the example in Table 12-5 illustrates, a good way to work is to start in
the middle and build outward.

252

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Table 12-5: How to Build an Equation
EQN String

Result

10 sup -x

10-x

sum from {x-=-l}
to 4 10 sup -x

~10-x

Notes

The - Inserts a normal space.

4

x=l
left { {A - sum from
{x -= - 1 } to 4
--10 sup -x}} right}

{±lO-XJ}

left {{A - sum
from {x-=- l} to
4--10 sup -x} right
}_+_3AcoS A x

t~l 1O-}3COSX

{left {{A-sum
from {x-=-l} to
4-- 10 sup -x} right
}- +- 3AcoS A x}
over sum
y--=--{ left {
{A-sum from
{x-=-l} to 4--10
sup -x} right
}-+-3AcoS A x} over
sum from {x-=-O}
to 3 {-x sup 3}

The command "left"
or "right" indicates
that the brace that
follows is to actually
appear in the equation.

x=l

4

~ 10-x + 3 cosx

)(-",

The entire
denominator is
placed In braces.

~
4

~

y =

10-x + 3 cosx

x=l
3

~x3
x=Q

The equation is now
almost complete.
The only remaining
problem is that the
braces overlap the
fraction bar.

253

Chapter 12: Equations

y--=--{ left {
{A-sum from
{x-=-l} to 4--10
sup -x} right} sub
nothing -+3AcoS A x} over
sum from {x-=-O}
to 3 {-x sup 3}

{±

1O-}3COSX

x-l

Y

=

3

~x3

x-a

To create some
space between the
braces and the fractlon line, we use the
command "sub nothing" after the right
brace.

Tip 12-4--------------------------------------

Keeping Track of Braces
When you want to apply a command to an expression, you need
to demarcate that expression by surrounding it with braces. A
good procedure to follow, whenever you type a left brace, is immediately to go to the end of the expression you are setting up
and type a right brace. 1/you always work with braces in pairs,
you won't have the problem of "hanging braces."

Tip 12-5--------------------------------------

LaserJet Users
When EQN creates subscripts, superscripts, and fractions, it automatically selects a point size that is appropriate relative to other
symbols in the equation. This means that your printer must be
capable of printing a range of sizes for each font you use in
equations. With PostScript printers, that's not a problem, since the
printer can automatically scale its master outlines to whatever
size you need. In the case of the Laserjet Plus or Series II, the only
sizes provided for Dutch and Swiss are 6, 8, 10, and 12; for
Dutch bold and Swiss bold 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, and 24; for Dutch
italic and Swiss italic 10 and 12; for SymbolS, 10, 12, and 24;
and for Courier 10 and 12. However you can generate the missing sizes (most importantly 7-, 9-, and ll-point Dutch and Swiss;
6-, 7-, 8-, 9-, and l1-point Dutch and Swiss italic; and 6-, 7-, 9-,

254

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

and 11-point Symbol), using the Bitstream Fontware package,
which is bundled with Ventura.

Tip 12-6--------------------------------------

Elevating the Numerator
Occasionally, a portion of the numerator will overlap the fraction
bar. To fix this, you can't use the Up command, because that
moves the fraction bar along with the numerator. Instead, add a
"null subscript" (using the command ((sub nothing"). This adds
the extra room you need between the numerator and the fraction
bar. For an example of this technique, look at the last step in
Table 12-5.

Tip 12-7--------------------------------------

Making Head Room Under a
Square Root Sign
Sometimes, the argument of the square root function will be too
crowded underneath the square root sign. To make some head
room under the square root sign, add a null superscript, using
the command sup nothing.

Tip 12-8-----------------------------------

Null Superscripts and Subscripts
The previous tips are examples of a technique that can be generalized and used in a variety of contexts. The technique is to
create space above and below expressions with null superscripts.
Add the command "sup nothing" when you want to create space
above an expression (such as some head room between a variable and the square root sign) and ''sub nothing" when you want
to create space below an expression.

Pagination
In the jargon of word processing, pagination refers to the capability of a program automatically to print a page number on each
page. In publishing parlance, however, the word· refers more
broadly to the process of assembling the parts of a page and then
assembling pages together into chapters and entire documents.
While many other desktop publishing programs leave you to
handle the pagination task more or less manually, Ventura automates the work to a large degree. The elements that make up the
process are as follows:
• headers and footers
• footnotes
• automatic numbering
• frame anchoring
• automatic text insertion

256

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• indexing
• automatic generation of a table of contents
• cross referencing (Professional Extension only)

.:.

Headers and Footers
You can create a header or a footer at any point after loading a
document. Both headers and footers are limited to two lines of
text. To create a header, select Headers & Footers from the Chapter menu. Select whether the header/footer is for a right or left
page, select Usage: On, and type the material you want contained
in the header/footer. The three lines - left, center, and rightare for material that will be aligned left, centered, or aligned right
in the header. If you select Chapter # or Page #, Ventura will insert
the chapter or page number within the header/footer.
The 1st Match and Last Match commands allow you to select
material from your page to include in the header. This is especially useful in references such as product catalogs where you want

Figure 13-1:
Headers & Footers
dialog box

HEADERS &FOOTERS
Define:

Left

I Left
Usage:

I Right Page Header I
Footer I I Right Page Footer I

Pagel~~eader

Page

III [][]

Left: kBP1B>[P~]
Uentura Tips -an-;d--;T--n c"'ks--;2;-n-;-d-;:Ed-;-;i~tl'1r·o-n- - - - - - Center:
'1r·

J

Right:
Inserts:

I Chapter ~ I I Page ~ I I 1st Match I I Last
I Text Attr. I I COP!! To Facing Page I

Match

I

on I Cancel I

Chapter 13: Pagination

257

the name of the first product listed on the page to be shown in
the header for that page. If you select 1st Match or Last Match,
Ventura inserts a marker that contains the words "tag name." You
must backspace across these words and type the name of the tag
that you wish to have as the 1st Match or Last Match.
When you select Text Attr, Ventura inserts a D surrounded by
angle brackets «D». You can replace the D with any of the text
attribute codes listed in Appendix D of the Ventura manual or
Chapter 8 of this book. These codes allow you to change the font
or type attributes of a single word within a header. For example,
to make a single word appear in bold weight, include a  on
the left side of the word and an  (to return to medium) on the
right side of the word.
When you select Copy To Facing Page, Ventura translates your
header to the opposite page, switching the left and right entries of
the header/footer to make facing pages symmetrical.

.:.

Tagging Headers and Footers
Once you have created a header or footer, Ventura automatically
creates a tag, either Z_Header or Z_Footer. The Z marks it as a
"generated tag." Such tags can be altered by means of the same
procedure used for altering any other tag. If you do not see any
generated tags in the Assignment List when in tagging mode,
select Set Preferences from the Options menu and then select
Generated Tags: Shown.
Just as with any other tag, you can alter the font, alignment,
spacing, and other features of the header or footer tag. The only
limitation is that a header or a footer can have no more than two
lines of text.

258

.:.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Header and Footer Spacing
The relation between header or footer spacing and the margins
set for the rest of the page can be confusing. Generally, you
should think of the two as being completely separate. No matter
what you specify as the spacing above and below a header, the
margin for the rest of the page will continue to be constant. In
other words, once you set the margins for the rest of the page,
they will not be affected no matter what settings you choose for
the header or footer.

Tip 1 3 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Page Margins and Header/Footer
Margins #1
There is one exception to the independence between headers or
footers and the rest of the page. It is that if the above and below
space set for the header exceeds that of the margin, the margin
will be expanded.

Tip 1 3 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Page Margins and Header/Footer
Margins #2
One source of confusion for those setting headerIJooter margins is
that the Z_Header and Z_Footer tags alone do not completely
determine the distance between the tags and the top of the page.
For every header and footer, Ventura also generates a new frame
and automatically sets up top, bottom, left, and right margins for
that frame. So the margin above the header is the top margin of
the header frame (set by selecting the Frame function, selecting
the header frame, and selecting Margins & Columns from the
Frame menu) plus the Space Above setting in the Z_Header tag
(set by selecting the Tag function, selecting the header, and selecting Spacing from the Paragraph menu).

Chapter 13: Pagination

.:.

259

Footnotes
Ventura's footnote feature is easy to use, though it does have
some limitations:
• The size of a block of footnotes is limited to half a page;
• Only text on the underlying page can have footnotes; text in
box text or frames cannot;
• A footnote cannot extend from one page to the next (there's
a trick to overcome this limitation - see below).
To insert a footnote in your text, switch to text mode and place
the cursor at the desired location in your document, pull down
the Edit menu (DOS/GEM version) or Text menu (Windows version), select Ins Special Item, and select Footnote. A footnote
mark (either a symbol or a number) appears at the designated
point, and Ventura creates a frame at the bottom of the page
containing the footnote mark or number and the words "Text of
Footnote."
To enter the text of your footnote, place the cursor at the end of
the words "Text of Footnote," backspace across them, and type
the text of your footnote. Like captions and box text, that text will
be stored in a file that has the same name as your chapter but
uses the GEN extension.
To format your footnote, select Footnote Settings from the
Chapter menu. Under Usage & Format, you have a choice of
footnotes that are numbered sequentially starting at the beginning
of a chapter, footnotes that are numbered sequentially starting at
the beginning of a page, and footnotes that are designated with
asterisks, plus signs, or whatever character or symbol you wish to
use. You can also specify whether the footnote is to be superscripted, subscripted, or neither. (Note: this applies to the footnote mark in the text, not at the bottom of the page. To superscript or subscript the number at the bottom, refer to Tip 13-3.)
Using the Number Template, you can specify two characters that
will automatically accompany your footnote number or mark.

260

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Usually, these are used to place a period after the footnote number or to place parentheses around the footnote number.

Tip 1 3 - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Superscripting a Footnote
Number l
To superscript the footnote number at the bottom of the page (as
shown below), you have to change the parameters for both the
Z_FNOT # tag and for the Z_FNOT ENTRY tag. To change
Z_FNOT #, create a footnote, tag the number, and change the
parameters to the following:
• Line Breaks: None.
• Ruling Line Above: Set Space Below Rule 3 to 4 points and
select the minus sign, but set the height of all rules to 0 and
set Line Width to to none.
• Font size: to 8 or 9 points.
• Above Spacing: 1 pica.
Now tag the text of the footnote and change the parameters to the
following:
• Line Breaks: Before and After
• In From Left spacing: 0
• Relative Indent: On (Alignment menu)
• Interline Spacing: 4 points

Tip 1 3 - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Deleting a Footnote
To get rid of a footnote from the bottom of the page, you need to
delete the footnote reference mark in your text. When you're in

IText of Footnote

261

Chapter 13: Pagination

The Footnote Settings Dialog Box
In order for the footnote text to appear, you
have to select one of these optIons. Numbering can be sequential throughout your chapter
or can start anew on each page. A third option is to define your own footnote characters
below under "Character-Defined Strings. "

Usage &ForAat:

~ 1,*

The Number Template lets you
specify characters that will always accompany the footnote; for example, #.

FroA Start of Page (1,2,3) I

1'* FroJTI Start of Page
~

(U~er· Defined)

I

FrOM Start of Chapter (1,2,3)

Start With '*: BBB11
NUAber TeJTIplate: '*__
Position of NUJTlber: No Shift
'I:
5:

Separator Line Width
Space Above Line
Height of Line

The number position option lets
you shift the footnote number
up or down. This only applies to
the footnote number inserted
in the text, not to the number
at the bottom of the page. To
shift the number at the bottom
at the page, see Tip 13-3.

Figure 13-2

t

Z: ................ 3:
................ 6: ................ 7:

4:
S:

BB.BB inches
BB.BB
BB.BB

These are the settings for the line that
separates the footnote from the rest of
the page. Lines always start at the left
margin.

These strings are used in
place of footnote numbers it you select UserDefined above. You can
use Ventura's defaults or
create your own strings.

262

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

the right location, the word ''Footnote'' will be displayed in the
Current Selection Box (underneath the Assignment List on the left
side of the screen).

Tip 13-5-------------------------------------

Moving a Footnote to a New Page
When you delete a footnote, the footnote number and text remain
in the clipboard. To move them to a new position or page, simply
insert the cursor at the new position and press Ins.

Tip 13-6----------------------------------

Extending a Footnote to a Second
Page
If you

have to extend a footnote to a second page, there's a way
to do it- quite awkward, but occasionally necessary. Change
the color for the Z_FNOT # tag to white so that it becomes invisible. Change the Indent for the Z_FNOT ENTRY tag to 0, so that
it is flush left. The result is that the text of the footnote covers up
the number or footnote mark, so you'll have to insert the footnote
number or mark manually. Type a portion of the footnote on the
first page, breaking it off at the end of a line. Go to the next page
and insert a footnote mark into text at the end of a line, then use
Set Font (DOS/GEM version) or the Text menu (Windows version)
to change the footnote mark to white so that it is invisible. Type
the remainder of the footnote from the previous page in the footnote box at the bottom of the page .

•:.

Widows and Orphans
Another function of the pagination process is making sure that
isolated lines do not appear at the top or the bottom of the page.
Such lines are referred to as widows when occurring at the top of
the page, or as orphans when occurring at the bottom. The Chapter Typography dialog box allows you to specify the minimum

263

Chapter 13: Pagination

number of lines that may be isolated at the top or the bottom of
the page. Normally, this should be set to 2 for both orphans and
widows, since this will prevent single isolated lines .

•:.

Automatic Numbering
With Ventura, you have the ability to automatically number chapters, pages, subheads, and captions. These options are controlled
with the Update Counter, Auto-Numbering, and Renumber Chapter options, which are located under the Chapter menu in the
DOS/GEM version and under the Paragraph or Edit menus in the
Windows version. Of these, the most important dialog box is
Auto-Numbering.
Although it is straightforward, the autonumbering process requires a good deal of attention to detail. The procedure is as
follows:
• Select Auto-Numbering from the Chapter menu (DOS/GEM
version) or Paragraph menu (Windows version).

Figure 13-3: The
Auto-Numbering
dialog box

AUTO· NUMBERING
Usage: _
[]ffJ
Leuel 1: [*Major Headip9J11 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Leuel2: [*tag nall)eJ1]I-~---------­
Leuel 3:
Leud 4:
Level 5:
Leuel 6:
Leuel 7:
LelJd B:
Leuel 9:
Level 10:

Inserts:

I Chapter ~ I [IJJ [gJ [i;I] [L]IJ [!JIJ
I Suppress Previous Level I I Text Attr. I r--niiI

~---::-t

a..l!LJ I Cancel I

264

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• Select Usage: On.
• Select 1,2; A,B; a,b; I,ll; or i,ii to indicate the type of numbering you want.
• Replace the words "tag name" with the name of the tag you
wish to have numbered in your document.
• If you wish to start numbering at a number other than 1,
type a comma and the number (as an Arabic numeral, e.g.,
3) just inside the right bracket.
• If you wish to have any text or punctuation accompanying
the number, type it to the right or left of the bracketed portion.
• If you want to have part of the automatically generated material appear in a different font, select Text Attf. Ventura will
insert a D surrounded by angle brackets «D». You can replace the D with one of the formatting codes shown in
Chapter 8 of this book or in Appendix D of the Ventura
manual.

Figure 13-4: The
autonumbering
dialog box, as
used to
automatically
number the tips in
this book.

rn

AUTO· NUMBERING
Usage: •

[]ill

Level 1: Tip [C#]·[*Tip Title J 111-1_ _ _ _ __
Level 2:
Level 3:
Level 4:
Level 5:
Level 6:
Level 1:
Level 0:
Level 9:
Level 10:
Inserts: I Chapter # I []JJ [gJ

UIJ ITJIJ I i, ii I

I Suppress Previous level I I Text Attr, I

i"'7iiiI ~---:::-'I

L....2.!LJ I Cancel I

Chapter 13: Pagination

265

• If you don't want the number for a higher level combined
with the number for a lower level, move the cursor to the
beginning of the line and select Suppress Previous Level.
• Once you have completed filling out the lines of the AutoNumbering dialog box, select OK or press Enter. Figure 13-4
shows how the autonumbering dialog box was set up to
automatically number the tips in this book.
• If you wish to change the font or spacing of the number,
select tagging mode and select the number. It will have a
tag such as Z_Secl. Using the options in the Paragraph
menu, you can change the font, the spacing, the alignment,
and other features of the number.
• If you want the number to appear on the same line as the
following text, select tagging mode, select the number,
select Breaks from the Paragraph menu, and set Line Break
to Before. Then select the following paragraph and set Line
Break to After. Adjust the indentation of the first line of the
paragraph to avoid overlap. Next, change the tags of other
paragraphs to Line Break: After, to avoid overlaps with
those paragraphs.
• Automatic numbers are not automatically adjusted if text is
edited. If you do perform any text editing, such as deleting
a few paragraphs, select Renumber Chapter from the Chapter menu (DOS/GEM version) or the Edit menu (Windows
version). Better yet, use the keyboard shortcut: Ctrl-B.

Tip 1 3 - 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Renumbering with Ctrl-B
Any time you add or delete an item that is automatically numbered, press Ctrl-B. This not only removes the numberJor the item
you just removed, but also adjusts the numbers of every subsequent item.

266
.:.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Frame Anchoring
Frame anchoring lets you keep illustrations with the text that they
relate to. You can force a picture to always appear on the same
page as the text reference, to always appear immediately above or
below the line containing the anchor, and even to always appear
in the same line as the text reference. The latter makes it possible
to have a symbol or a logo in a small frame that always "floats"
within the text, no matter how many times you reformat your
document.
The procedure for anchoring a frame to a passage of text is as
follows:
• Select the frame you want to anchor, and select Anchors &
Captions from the Frame menu. Type the Anchor name.
(Note: Ignore the remainder of this dialog box; the above,
below, left, right selections apply to captions rather than
anchors.)
• Select text mode.
Place the cursor in the paragraph to which you want to
anchor the frame and click.
• Select Ins Special Item from the Edit menu (DOS/GEM version) or Text menu (Windows version).

Figure 13-5: The
Insert/Edit Anchor
dialog box

INSERT/EDIT ANCHOR
FraMe s Anchor NaMe: Figure 311---J

FraMeJs New Location:

Fixed) On Same Page As Anchor

Relative! Below Anchor Line

I Relative! Above

Anchor

Line

Relative] Autonaticall9 At Anchor

I

OK

I ~ Cancel I

Chapter 13: Pagination

267

• Select Frame Anchor. You'll now see the dialog box shown
in Figure 13-5.
• The Anchor name you typed above will appear. Select one
of the four location options, described below .

• Four Kinds of Anchors
There are four ways to anchor graphics. The first, Fixed On Same
Page As Anchor, should be used when you want to keep a picture
at the same place on the page (usually on the top of the page or
on the bottom of the page). The picture will move to a new page
if the anchor point moves to a new page, but it will always retain
the same location on the page. In other words, the frame will
never shift up, down, left, or right. Note that if the anchor point
moves to a new page, the picture will not move spontaneously; to
make the picture move, you have to select Re-Anchor Frames
from the Chapter menu (DOS/GEM version) or Edit menu (Windows version).
The second and third kinds of anchors - Relative, Below Anchor
Line and Relative, Above Anchor Line - should be used if you
want Ventura to position a picture just below or above a line of
text. Note that if the anchor point moves, the picture does not
move until you select Re-Anchor Frames from the Chapter menu.
The fourth option - Relative, Automatically At Anchor - makes
the frame "float" with the anchor point, immediately repositioning
itself whenever the anchor point moves. If you use this option,
you should turn on Grow Inter-Line to Fit in the Paragraph menu.
This type of frame anchoring is particularly useful if you have a
small illustration that you want to include within a paragraph.

Tip

13-8-----------~-------

Frames in Margins
Frequently, frame anchoring causes frames to be placed in the
margins of the page. When that occurs, you have to adjust them
manually.

268

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

TiP13-9----------------------------------~-

Attaching Graphics to Text

/

Let's say ou want to use Ventura's drawing tools to drat( an
ellipse like this), a rectangle (like this),
an arrow (like this)
directly on your text so that it remains in the same relative position as the paragraph moves. Create a small frame and insert it
at the end of the paragraph, and attach it as a relative anchor.
Then draw your graphics.

I

lor

Tip 1 3 - 1 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Using Floating Frames for Bullets
Besides making Ventura's internal graphics float, you can make
any imported graphics float with a frame. The applications of this
feature are endless. A few ideas:
• Number your lists with fancy clip-art numbers or decorative
bullets
• Highlight important text with symbols (such as the wheelchair access symbol shown here)
• Mark official policy with the company logo .

•:.

Automatic Text Insertion
You can use the autonumbering feature of Ventura to place a
standardized passage of text in front of every paragraph with a
designated tag. By deleting the number within the brackets, no
numbering will occur; however, any text you print on that line
will be printed at the beginning of every paragraph with that tag.
Up to 35 characters of specified text can be automatically inserted
using this technique.

269

Chapter 13: Pagination

The Insert/Edit Index Entry Menu

INSERTIEDIT INDEX ENTRY
TlIpe of Entrll: See
Prilllar!ol Entr!ol: Paper jallls_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Prilllarll Sort Ke!ol:
Secondar!l Entrll:
Secondarl/ Sort Kel/:

Troubleshootin~I--_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

/

/

INSERT/EDIT INDEX ENTRY
T!oIpe of Entry:

Paper jams, See Troubleshooting

Parallel interface, 4, 261-265
advantage over serial interface, 262
switching to serial interface, 263
455
INS ERTIEDIT INDEX ENTRY

The Pascal Reader, 455

hpe of Entrll:

Secondar!l Entrll: advantage over serial interfaceI-I_ _ __
Secondary Sort Kell:

Index

Prilllar!ol Entrll: The Pascal R~ader_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
PriJllarll Sort Kell: Pascal Reade'll-._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Figure 13-6

rn

Index

INSERTIEDIT INDEX ENTRY

Secondary Entry:
Secondarll Sort Kell:

\

Prilllarll Entrll: Parallel interface_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Prilllary Sort Kell:

\
Tllpe of Entrll:

t

Secondarll Entry:
Secondarll Sort Kell:

Paper sizes, 405

Pascal, 417-419,

Index

PriPlafll Entr!l: Paper size~I---_ _ __
Prilllar", Sort Key:

270

.:.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Indexing
When they hear that Ventura has an "automatic indexing
capability," most people get the impression that they can simply
browse through their document, marking key words as they go,
and then sit back while Ventura searches for each instance of each
key word throughout the document, compiles a database of the
page number on which it occurs, merges all these together, and
generates a formatted index.
In fact, the indexing procedure is a good deal more tedious than
that. It's a three-step procedure that works as follows:

• Step One: Inserting Index Marks
. You work in text mode, starting at the beginning of 'your
document. When you see a word or a concept that you
want to include in your index, place the cursor in the word
or near it, select Ins Special Item from the Edit menu
(DOS/GEM version) or Text menu (Windows version), and
select Index Entry. (The shortcut for this in the DOS/GEM
version is Ctrl-C F3. In the Windows version the shortcut is
Alt-TCI, though you can make the shortcut even shorter in
the Windows version by creating a two-key macro with the
Windows Macro Recorder. In the process of creating an
index for a long document such as this book, pressing the
insert index shortcut hundreds of times, I assure you that
this particular key combination will wear a deep crease in
your brain.)
. You'll now see the Insert/Edit Index Entry screen, shown in
Figure 13-6. The figure illustrates the main types of entries in
any index. Every entry must contain a Primary Entry. In addition, you can also add a Secondary Entry, which will be
indented below the Primary Entry. If the phrase you are indexing starts with and or the, you need to tell Ventura how
to alphabetize it. As shown in Figure 13-6, if the ently is
called The Pascal Reader, you type The Pascal Reader

271

Chapter 13: Pagination

The Generate Index Dialog Box
Ventura automatically creates a name
for the text file It generates. To load the
file, select Text/Generated under the
Load Text/Picture option of the File
menu. If you want to, you can change
this name to something else.

The arrow Indicates that Ventura will place a
tab between
each Index entry
and the list of
page numbers.
You may want to
delete this and
replace It with a
comma followed
by a space.

If you set Letter

Headings: On
Ventura will
place a solitary
letter to mark

This is the title for
your index. You can
change it to something else.

III

6ENERATE INDEX
Index File:

Title String:
Letter Headings: On
Before h:
For Each i:
Between #s:

J,/-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

After
"See #5:
.. , / 7 : " - - - - - - - - - - - - - "See Al

In this example, Ventura
will automatically list both
the chapter and the
page number for each
index entry. For most indexes, you should delete
the C # so that the line
reads [P#].

Figure 13-7

Use these Inserts to
place the tab
character, [C#],
and [P#] into the
dialog box.

When you select Text
Attr., Ventura inserts a
"return to default" mark,
. You can replace the
D with any text formatting
codes (see Chapter 8).

272

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

next to Primary Entry and Pascal Reader next to Primary
Sort Key.
• If you want the index entry to refer to a different index
entry, select See or See Also rather than Index.
• Select OK or press Enter to return to your document. By
checking for a small bubble, you can see where your index
mark is embedded in the text. If you can't see the bubble,
press Ctrl-T or turn on Show Tabs and Returns in the Options menu (DOS/GEM version) or the View menu (Windows version) .

• Step Two: Generating the Index
• When you've finished inserting index entries for all the
chapters in your publication (including the Secondary, See,
and See Also index variations discussed above), select MultiChapter from the Options menu and select New (DOS/GEM
version), or select File/Manage Publication/MultiChapteri
New (Windows version).
· Select Add Chapter and then select a chapter name. Repeat
this step until all the chapters for your publication are listed.
Use Save As to name the publication.
• Select Make Index. You'll now be presented with the intimidating dialog box shown in Figure 13-6. Don't worryusually it's only necessary to make a few changes in the
default settings. Usually you'll want to replace the tab (the
right arrow) for Before #s: with a comma followed by a
space (don't forget the space!). You may also want to delete
the [C#] references next to For Each #: and simply have each
index entry listed by page number.
• Place  and  around "See" and "See" also to put these
terms into italics.

• Step Three: Formatting the Index
• Once you have made the changes you wish to make in the
Generate Index dialog box and selected OK, Ventura sets to

Chapter 13: Pagination

273

work creating an ASCII text file with the extension GEN.
The end result is a text file with the same first five letters as
the name of your publication, then the letters IDX, and
finally the extension GEN. For example, if the publication is
called MANUALO1. GEN, the index text file will be called
MANUAIDX.GEN.
• Select New from the File menu.
• Select Load Text/Picture from the File menu.
• Select Text, Generated as the type of file. Select the index
file.
• When the text loads onto the screen, you'll see that each
index entry is ended with a line break, and each separate
alphabet group is ended with a paragraph break. You'll also
notice that Ventura has automatically tagged each index
entry with a generated tag. To finish formatting your index,
keep these tags, adjusting their settings as necessary.

Tip 1 3 - 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Formatting Secondary Entries
When Ventura generates the index, it automatically inserts a tab
in front of all secondary index entries, i.e., entries that fall under
another index entry. That works fine if the entry is only one line
long, but if the line wraps around it will align to the left margin
and the entire secondary entry will no longer be offset from the
left margin, as standard practice requires. The solution is to
delete the tab mark, and replace the line break at the end of such
secondary entries with a paragraph break. Then create a new tag
for such secondary entries (i.e., ones that wrap) and set the In
From Left setting for this tag equal to the width of the tab for
regular entries.

274

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip 1 3 - 1 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Beware of Placing Index Marks
within Text with Special Attributes
Don't place index marks in text that is marked with text attributes such as italic or bold, or which has been changed using
Set Font. If you do, the next time you load your chapter, you'll
find that all text following the inserted index pOint has reverted to
regular formatting.

Tip 1 3 - 1 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Moving and Deleting Index Marks
Index marks look like little bubbles inserted in your text. If you
can't see them, go into the Options or View menu and select Show
Tabs & Returns. To move an index mark, first place the cursor
directly infront of the mark. You'll know you're in the right place
when the word "Index Entry" appears in the Selection Box (on the
lower left side of the screen). Press Del to delete the index mark,
then move to the new location and press Ins.

Figure 13-8: The

Table of Contents
generating menu.

GENERATE TABLE OF CONTENTS
TOe File:
Title String:
Level 1:
Level 2:
Level 3:
Level 4:
Level 5:
Level 6:
Level 7:
Level B:
Level 9:
Level 1B:

Inserts:

C: \UB\2D\&EKAMTOC. GEN"--_ _ _ _ __

Table of Contents
Chapter [0]: [*C..-ha-p---;Nc:-a-lIIe- = ] - - - - - [*Major Heading]"[P#]~1_ _ _ __

I Tag Text I D:.![] I Chapter # I I Page
I Text Attr. I
OK

~

I
I I (ancel I

Chapter 13: Pagination

275

Tip 1 3 - 1 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Always Spell Check Before
Indexing, Not After
If you use the spell checking feature of your word processor, you
probably like to wait to do spell checking until after you've imported the text file into Ventura, so that you're able to check any
last-minute editing you did in Ventura. Make sure, however, that
you spell check your document before you insert the index marks.
Ifyou spell check after indexing, your spell checker will query you
about every index mark and about every word that has been
divided by an index mark. Spell checking will take three times as
long as it otherwise would.
Tip 1 3 - 1 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Keep Track of Your Indexing
Terms
As you index a document, keep a sheet of paper or a box full of
index cards handy to record frequently used reference. Otherwise, you may enter the same reference in slightly different ways
throughout your document, causing there to be multiple index
entries, each slightly different, for a particular concept.

Tip 1 3 - 1 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

One More Indexing Tip
When a group of index references crops up on several pages,
draw a small box text on one page and fill it with some spaces,
then put the index marks between the spaces. Then copy the box
onto all the other pages .

• No Pain, No Gain
While Ventura's index generator may seem difficult and unwieldy
the first time around, it's worth the effort. Once you've set up the

276

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

index format and saved it, you don't have to repeat the process
when you revise your document. All the index marks are still in
the text, so even though the page numbering may have changed
completely, it's simple to generate a new index .

•:.

Generating a Table of Contents
To generate a table of contents, you follow a procedure that is
similar to that used in creating an index. In this case, there are two
steps .

• Step One: Generating the Toe Text File
• Before you go into the Multi-Chapter menu, make a note of
the names of the tags for your chapter titles as well as the
tag names of any other text elements (such as subheads)
that you want to include in the table of contents.
• Next, make sure your publication file is complete. In the
Multi-Chapter dialog box, use the Add Chapter command to
add any missing chapters to your publication, then use Save
As to name the publication.
• Figure 13-8 shows
names for the text
of contents. Note
facing arrow. Use

Figure 13-9:
The Insert/Edit
Marker Name
dialog box.

the dialog box where you enteJ the tag
elements you want included in the table
that tabs are represented by the rightthe Text Attr. insert to format any text,

III

INSERT/EDIT MARKER NAME
Marker Nallle:

Table

11--1_ __

OK

I Cancel I

277

Chapter 13: Pagination

such as putting chapter numbers in bold or page numbers
in italic. Refer to Chapter 8, "Preparing, Loading, and Editing
Text," for more information on embedded formats .

• Step Two: Formatting the File
• Once you've let Ventura generate the table of contents file,
you can load it into a blank chapter as a generated text file .
• You'll see that every element has been given a tag by Ventura. To format the table of contents, simply adapt these tags
to match your particular design.

Tip 1 3 - 1 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Save the Publication
After you amend the defaults in the table-ol-contents generating
menu, make sure to save your publication one more time. That
makes the defaults permanent for this publication .

•:.

Cross Referencing
• Inserting Page and Chapter Numbers
Ventura's cross referencing capability lets you automatically insert
the current page or chapter number anywhere on the page. (Pre-

Figure 13-10:

The Insert/Edit
Reference dialog
box

INSERT/EDIT REFERENCE
At The Nanl?:

Refer To:
For~at:

Chapter

121--1_ _

p~

t

Default

t

I

OK

I Cancel ~

278

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

viously, you could only reference the page number in headers
and footers.)
The procedure to insert the page or chapter number in your text
is as follows:
• Select text mode and click on the desired location in your
text.
• From the Edit or Text menu, select Ins Special Item and then
select Cross Reference.
• Select Page

#

or Chapter #.

Keep the line that reads At The Name blank. (In the non-EMS
version, that line is not present in the dialog box.)

• Cross Referencing with Markers
In addition to making it possible to insert the current page number in your text, Ventura lets you insert a marker in one part of a
document and refer to the location (page number, chapter number, and section number) of that marker in another part of the
same document. The procedure is as follows:
• Place the text cursor in the location to be referenced.
• From the Edit or View menu, select Ins Special Item.

INSERT/EDIT UARIABLE DEFINITION
Variable NaMe:

COPlpan~ _ __

Substitute Text: WhiPlple Pfister and Schuddl-I_ _ _ _ _ __
J

J

OK
Figure 13-11: The Insert/Edit Variable Definition dialog box.

I Cancel I

Chapter 13: Pagination

279

• Select Marker Name. You'll now see the dialog box shown
in Figure 13-9.
• Type the name of your marker.
• Go to the page where you want the page, chapter, or section number inserted.
• From the Edit or View menu, select Ins Special Item.
• Select Cross Reference. The dialog box shown in Figure 1310 will appear.
• In the Refer To line, select p# (Page number), C# (Chapter
number), or S· (Section Number)
• Type the name of the marker.
• DOS/GEM version: Select Options/Multi-Chapter, and select
Renumber. Windows version: Select File/Manage Publication/Multi-Chapter, and select Renumber .

• Cross Referencing with Frame Anchors
Although Ventura's manual is usually very complete, it fails to
mention that you can use frame anchors as markers. In fact, referencing frame anchors is the only way to cross-reference figure
numbers, table numbers, and caption text.
To use a frame anchor for a cross reference, do the following
steps:
• If the frame which you are referencing does not have an
anchor name, use Anchors & Captions from the Frame
menu to give it one.
• Use Ins Special Item, Cross Reference to place a reference
mark in your text.
• In the Insert/Edit Reference dialog box, type the name of
the anchor on the At The Name line.
• Depending on what you select in the Refer To line, you can
reference either p# (the page number of the frame), C# (the
chapter number of the frame), F# (the figure number of the
frame), S· (the section number that precedes the frame), or

280

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

C* (the caption text for the referenced frame, which is the
text that is typed into the Anchors & Captions dialog box on
the Label line).
• DOS/GEM version: Select Options/Multi-Chapter, and select
Renumber. Windows version: Select File/Manage Publication/Multi-Chapter, and select Renumber .

• Variable Text
One of the most versatile aspects of cross referencing is the ability
to reference a variable. The best procedure is to insert the text· of
the variable at the beginning of the chapter, since that's the easiest
place to find it later.
• Place the cursor in the location in which you want to substitute text.
• From the Edit menu, select Ins Special Item, and select Cross
Ref.
• Place the cursor at the beginning of the chapter and select
Ins Special Item from the Edit menu.
• Select Variable Def.
• Type the name of your marker in the Variable Name line,
and type the text you want to replace it with in the Substitute Text Line (see Figure 13-11).
• DOS/GEM version: Select Options/Multi-Chapter, and select
Renumber. Windows version: Select File/Manage Publication/Multi-Chapter, and select Renumber.

Document
Layout Strategies
You can use Ventura to produce virtually any type of document:
forms, business reports, books, technical manuals, business letters, brochures, catalogs, newsletters - the list is endless. Fortunately, you don't have to master a completely different set of
techniques for each document.
There are three basic layout strategies that apply to almost all
documents. Each strategy is appropriate for certain types of
materials but not for other types. A large part of mastering Ventura
is knowing how to classify a job and then bringing the right set of
techniques to the task.
This chapter starts by describing three layout strategies. It then
reviews the procedure to follow in laying out several types of
documents,. and finally includes some layout tips.

282

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Base-Page Strategy
Although one might devise other terms, we'll refer to the three
layout strategies as base page, newspaper style, and freefarm.
The most common type of documents are those in which you use
a word processor to create text, then load the text directly onto
the base page. Ventura then automatically creates as many pages
as are needed to hold the entire text file. Any settings you specify
for number of columns, margins, headings, and so forth are automatically reflected throughout the document.
The base page layout method is appropriate for books, technical
manuals, catalogs, magazines, and other lengthy documents that
can be divided into chapters and in which each chapter contains
a single long text file. It also works surprisingly well for many
short documents, such as newsletters and single-page ads and
flyers. The longer you use Ventura, the more you'll find yourself
doing everything with this approach. For example of the basepage strategy, see Chapter 28, "Label Sheets."

.:.

Newspaper-Style Strategy
Some documents differ from base page documents in that they
require text from several different files to be joined up on the
same page, and frequently to leapfrog each other; for example
starting on page 1 and jumping to page 7.
This need for stories to temporarily pause on one page with a
"continued on ... " and then resume on a different page calls for a
special strategy. The method used to format newspaper-style
documents is to draw frames, using the column boundaries on the
base page as guidelines. You then load text into these frames
rather than directly onto the base page.
When asked to load text into a frame, Ventura loads as much of
the text file as will fit and then stops. To continue the file into a
new frame you select that frame and then select the name of the

Chapter 14: Document Layout Strategies

283

file from the list. Ventura starts where it left off and continues
loading text into the second frame until it again runs out of space.
The newspaper-style layout strategy is appropriate for newspapers, newsletters, and magazines, and sometimes for books
and brochures .

•:.

Free-Form Strategy
While the newspaper-style strategy provides more layout
flexibility than the base-page method, some documents require
even more flexibility. For example, in flyers, small blocks of text
and even individual words are arranged freely on the page. Sometimes the text is surrounded by boxes, as in tax forms; other times
it accompanies graphics, as in the typical flyer.
For such documents it would be impractical to create each piece
of text as a separate file and import each into its own frame.
Instead, the free-form strategy calls for the use of Ventura's Box
Text tool, which allows text to be entered in boxes and then
moved freely around the page.
Of course, you could do roughly the same thing by drawing small
frames on the page and entering text in these, but entering text in
boxes has a couple of advantages over entering it in frames. First,
with the Select All option of the Graphic menu, you can select
groups of boxes and move them together, a process that is more
difficult in the case of multiple frames. Second, with the Box Text
feature you can change the default line and fill attributes of a box
and use the new defaults to make numerous matching boxes .

•:.

Designing Documents
The three strategies outlined above all beg the more fundamental
question of document design. Although a full-blown discussion of
that topic is obviously outside the scope of this book, before

284

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

proceeding we'll now take a summary look at it and list some
reference materials on the subject.
In traditional publishing, the job of designing a document is kept
rigidly separated from the jobs of typesetting and pasteup. The
organization of labor is this: First the designer creates a set of
specifications for all the elements of the document, based on his
or her own sketches and dummies. Next, the typesetter creates
galleys according to the specifications, and the pasteup artistalso following the directions of the designer - cuts and pastes
these onto boards along with illustrations.

Books about Graphic Design
Desktop Publishing By Design
Ronnie Shushin and Don Wright
Microsoft Press
1113 Heil Quaker Blvd.
LaVergne, TN 37086-7005
800/677-7377
List price: $24.95

Editing by Design
Jan V. White (1986)
R.R. Bowker
245 W. 17th St.
New York, NY 10011
800/521-8110, 212/916-1600
List price: $29.95

Layout
Allen Hurlburt (1977)
Watson-Guptill Publications
1 Astor Plaza, 1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
800/526-3641,212/764-7518
List price: $22.95

The Graphic Designer's Handbook
Alastair Campbell (ed.) (1983)
Running Press
125 S. 22nd Sf.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
800/428-1111, 215/567-5080
List price: $14.95

Do-It- Yourself Graphic Design
John Laing (1985)
Macmillan Publishing
Front and Brown Streets
Riverside, NJ 08370
800/257-5755, 212/702-2000
List price: $9.95

Looking Good in Print, 2nd Edition
Roger Parker (1990)
Ventana Press
P.O. Box 2468
Chapel Hill, NC 27515
919/490-0062
List price: $23.95

Table 14-1

Chapter 14: Document Layout Strategies

285

Those new to publishing often tend to minimize the importance
of having a formal design for a document. Frequently, the attitude
is: "I'll feel my way through, designing as I go along."
A compromise between ad lib designing and the formal design
approach is to use Ventura itself to design your document, creating dummies of each different kind of page that the document
will contain.
As the designer, there are two kinds of consistency that you must
enforce: first, consistency within pages; second, consistency from
one type of page to the next. For example, even though index
pages are quite different from chapter title pages, the margins and
the placement of headers and page numbers must be exactly the
same in both.
If you've never designed documents before, the best way to learn
the basics is simply to ~opy the designs of existing documents. In
addition, there are a number of books on the subject, some of
which are listed in Table 14-1.

.:.

Universal Procedure
Assuming you have at least a preliminary design for your document and have determined which of the three layout strategies to
use, the next step is to get to the work of setting up the appropriate file structure, style sheets, frames, etc. - in short, laying
out the document. The procedure is basically the same no matter
what type of document you are creating .
• Prepare text and graphics, as described in Chapter 8,
"Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text," and Chapter 15,
"Using Graphics."
• Prepare a directory structure to hold Ventura's own files and
the text and graphics files. This is covered in Chapter 7,
"Managing Files."
• Design the document. Some documents are laid out according to precise specifications created by a designer. For

286

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

others, no formal design is ever done. With most documents, some sort of design is done in advance and then adjusted and fine-tuned as the document is tagged and draft
copies are printed.
• Load Ventura.
• Establish a new style sheet. Load one of the style sheets
provided with Ventura (located in the Typeset subdirectory
and designated with & as the first character), and save it
under a new name in a different subdirectory. Always work
with the style under its new name, so that you don't alter
the original style sheet.
• Select the desired defaults under the Options menu
(DOS/GEM version) or View and Edit menus (Windows version).
• Select a paper size, using the Page Layout option of the
Chapter menu. Note: this is the size of the paper you are
using in your laser printer, not the final size of the pages of
your document. For now, ignore the other selections from
the Chapter menu.
• Select Reduced View or Facing Pages View so that you can
view the entire page as you prepare the grid.
• Remove any ruling lines or boxes from the base page. This
is done from the Frame menu.
• If necessary, use the Sizing & Scaling option of the Frame
menu to change the size of the base page frame to match
the trim size of your final document. Use the Set Ruler selection of the Options or View menu to change the 0,0 point of
the ruler so that it begins at the corner of the base page
frame.
• Establish a grid, i.e., the margins, columns, alleys between
columns, and gutters for the page (see "Notes on the Grid"
below).
• If working with a newspaper-style layout, draw a frame for
each column.

Chapter 14: Document Layout Strategies

287

• Load text onto the base page (in a base page layout) or into
each separate frame (in a newspaper-style layout).
• Tag text and use Add New Tag (Ctrl-2) as needed to create
new tags. Use the options from the Chapter and Paragraph
menus to change the formats stored in each tag.
• Add headers and footers (Chapter menu).
• Draw frames to hold pictures or special text such as tables.
• Add captions to frames (Frame menu).
• Use Ventura's internal graphics tools to add arrows, labels,
and other enhancements to imported graphics. Make sure
that the correct frame is selected when you create these
added graphics, so that if you have to move the frame the
arrows and labels will maintain their positions relative to the
graphics.
• Print a draft of the chapter.
• If this is the first of a multi-chapter document, save it as
CHAPTERl.CHP, then convert it into a template for other
chapters. To do that, remove the text and graphics files from
the chapter using the Remove Text/File option of the Edit
menu (DOS/GEM version) or Frame menu (Windows version), and save the chapter as TEMPLATE.CHP.
• Load the text for the next chapter into the template chapter.
Save it as CHAPTER2.CHP.

Tip 14-1--------------------------------------

Ventura's Default Style Sheet
Often it's easier to start from a scratch style sheet (i.e., one containing no tags) than to adapt one of the style sheets provided
with Ventura. Use the DEFAULTSTY style sheet, located in the
\ 1YPSESET directory. If you alter DEFAULTSTY, don't forget to
use Save As to rename it so that the original is preserved.

288

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip 1 4 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Headers and Footers
Headers and footers are not automatically stored with the style
sheet. So when you are doing a book and create the master page
and the style sheet, you still have to create the headers and footers
independently for each chapter.
On the other hand, when you create headers and footers, Ventura automatically creates the tags Z_Header and Z_Footer. These
tags, as well as any adjustments you make to them, are stored
with the style sheet.

•:.

Components of the Page
• The Grid
The grid is the invisible set of lines that gUides the layout process,
allowing different types of pages to fall within standard boundaries. In setting up your grid, you'll find it easier to work in picas
than in other measurement units, since you can usually do everything in single picas and avoid the need for working with fractions. For example, an 81i2- by II-inch page comes to 51 by 66
picas.
TRIM SIZE: The trim size is the final size of the pages after they

are printed, bound, and then trimmed. With technical manuals,
the base page is frequently the standard 81J2- by II-inch sheet.
CROP MARKS: When you take the camera-ready pages to a

printer, they must each have four crop marks indicating the
corners of the trimmed page. At the printer, a film negative will be
made of each page, and the crop marks will provide reference
points for the stripper.
There are two ways to place crop marks on your printed pages.
One is to have Ventura automatically generate the crop marks by
selecting the Print option from the File menu and then selecting

Chapter 14: Document Layout Strategies

289

the Crop Marks: On option in the dialog box. When you select
this option you won't actually see the crop marks on the screen,
but they will appear on the printed page.

Tip 14-3---------------------------------------

Crop Marks and the Base Page
Automatic crop marks are placed outside the base page frame, so
they won't appear when your base page frame is the same size as
your paper. In particular, when you are printing on 81/2- by
ll-inch paper and not altering the size of the base page frame,
you won't be able to use the automatic crop mark feature. In that
case, you '1/ need to draw crop marks manually. For more information on crop marks, see Chapter 25, "Printing Tips."
Incidentally, here's how to change the size of the base page
frame. Select frame mode and then select the base page. Select
the Sizing & Scaling option of the Frame menu. Enter values
larger than 0 for the Upper Left X and Upper Left Y settings and
values smaller than 81/2 inches for Frame Width and smaller than
11 inches for Frame Height.
The other way to create crop marks is to draw them using
Ventura's graphics tools. Select graphics mode, then select Grid
Settings from the Graphic menu. Set Grid Snap On and set
horizontal and vertical spacing to approximately .250 inches.
Draw a horizontal line at one of the corners. Select Line Attributes
from the Graphic menu and choose settings for the line. Then
select Defaults: Save To to make these settings apply to the
remainder of the crop marks you draw. Draw a vertical line to
define a corner, then repeat the process for the other three
corners.
Fortunately, you only have to draw the crop marks once - on the
first page. If you select the crop marks and then select Show On

290

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

All Pages in the Graphics menu, Ventura automatically copies any
graphics placed on the base page onto all subsequent pages.

• Inside Margin versus Outside Margin
To compensate for the portion of the page hidden by the binding,
the inside margin should be given a little extra width, say V4 inch
or so. According to publishing convention, documents start on a
right page and all right pages have an odd number. From the
Frame menu select Margins & Columns. Set the Right Margin
equal to the outside margin and the Left Margin equal to the
inside margin. Select Copy To Facing Page and press Enter. Now
the dotted lines that indicate the column or margin also indicate
the active area.

• Margins and Vertical Justification
In traditional book design, margins are sized so that the bottom
margin is the largest, the outside margin the next largest, the top
margin the next largest, and the inside margin the smallest. (These
days, of course, those guidelines are routinely ignored by designers.) The top margin normally marks the top of text, and the
header is placed within this margin. Likewise, the bottom margin
marks the bottom of text, and the footer is placed within this
margin. No matter what type of publication you are working with,
the top margin should be fixed, with text columns hanging from it
like curtains. The bottom margin is much more open to adjustment. While Ventura's vertical justification feature gives you the
capability to maintain a constant bottom margin on every page,
doing so is actually not necessary for most designs. For example,
many magazines and newsletters run "ragged bottom."

• Active Area
The active area is the area within the margins. The active area is
the portion of the page on which text and graphics are normally
placed (on occasion something may be placed outside this active
area, but normally the active area is not exceeded). Headers,

Chapter 14: Document Layout Strategies

291

footers, and page numbers, however, do fall outside the active
area .

• Gutters
The gutter, also called alley, is the small gap separating adjacent
columns. It is set using the Margins & Columns option of the
Frame menu. One pica is normally sufficient for the alley .

• Columns
The width of the columns is set under Margins & Columns. The
maximum and minimum desirable width for text columns
depends on the size and typeface of the font. For multicolumn
documents, designers recommend a minimum line length of 20
characters, an optimum of 40 or 50 characters, and a maximum
length of around 60 characters. Lines longer than 60 characters
are occasionally used in book designs; however, text set in long
lines can be difficult to read because of the tendency of the eyes
to lose their place when they complete one line and scan back to
the left for the next.
If you do need to set wide lines, use a wide font that has a small
Table 14-2:
Average character
counts per pica
for Helvetica and
Times Roman

Helvetica (Swiss)
Point Size
Characters/Pica
10 point ........................................ 2.68
11 point ....................................... 2.46
12 point ....................................... 2.24

Times Roman (Dutch)
Point Size
Characters/Pica
10 point ........................................ 2.86
11 point ........................................ 2.62
12 point ....................................... 2.38

292

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

number of characters per pica. Typefaces whose designs make
them suitable for wide columns include Schoolbook, Goudy, and
Korinna. Faces with more narrow characters include Times and
Galliard. Table 14-2 shows the average character counts per pica
(including uppercase and lowercase letters) for the two typefaces
provided with Ventura.

Books and Manuals
.:.

Overview
The procedure for laying out books and manuals is the same,
except that with manuals there is more use of Ventura's automatic
numbering feature. As described above under "Universal Procedure," the basic strategy is to work on the first chapter until you
are satisfied with the appearance, then remove the text and
graphics from the chapter and save it as a template for the rest of
the manual or book. Once you have created the initial style sheet
and template chapter, laying out additional chapters is merely a
matter of loading them into the template, tagging text from the
style sheet, and adding graphics.
At first you may wonder why it is necessary to create a template
chapter in addition to a new style sheet. After all, doesn't the style
sheet contain all the formatting information necessary to make
every chapter look the same? Not quite. What's lacking from the
style sheet are the margins and contents for headers and footers
(although the tags for the headers and footers are saved in the
style sheet). Also, if your document contains a number of illustrations all the same size, the template file is a useful place to store
properly sized and captioned master frames.

Chapter 14: Document Layout Strategies

.:.

293

Preliminaries
As described above under "Universal Procedure," the first thing
you need to do after creating the text and graphics for your document is to organize your directories. You should create a new
subdirectory to contain your book or manual. We'll call it BOOK.
Within this directory you should create three subdirectories,
BOOK\DOCS (for text files), BOOK\ILLUS (for graphics files),
and BOOK\ VEN (for chapter files, style sheet files, and other files
generated by Ventura). By copying all your text and graphics files
from their original locations into the appropriate directories, you'll
have duplicate copies. of each, including copies of your text files
that don't include any tags .

•:.

Starting a New Style Sheet
Load Ventura and start a new chapter. From the File menu, load
either Ventura's one-column or two-column style sheet (&BOOKPl.STY or &BOOK-P2.STY). Save the style sheet under a new
name, let's say MYBOOK.
You can now change the size of the base page frame, if desired,
using the Sizing & Scaling option of the Frame menu and entering
new values for Upper Left X and Upper Left Y and for the page
height and width.
Another option is to produce the master pages of your book at an
enlarged size. This method was used in producing the book you
are reading in order to sharpen the appearance of the lasergenerated type .

•:.

Establishing the Grid
Assuming you don't alter the size of the base-page frame, the next
series of steps is to place crop marks on the base-page frame, and
select margins for your columns and alleys between the columns.
Note that the top and bottom margins are measured from the

294

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

edge of the page to the top and bottom of your text. Headers and
footers have separate margins from the base page and are positioned within the base-page margins. Left and right margins will
normally be different to allow extra room on the spine side of the
page. By selecting Copy To Facing Page from the Margins &
Columns menu, you can have your settings for right pages mirrored in left pages, and vice versa .

•:.

Headers and Footers
Once you have set up your margins and columns, use the
Headers & Footers option of the Chapter menu to select the content of your headers and footers. Ventura will create frames to
hold these elements. To specify margins for those frames you
need to select the frames themselves and then use the Margins &
Columns option of the Frame menu .

•:.

Using the Template
Having created the headers and footers, the next step is to load
the text for your first chapter and tag the text, experimenting with
the various options for indents, fonts, ruling lines, leading, etc.
When text is formatted to your satisfaction, draw and size frames
to hold the graphics, using the Line Snap and Column Snap options to align these frames with the text columns.
Graphics should be added quite late in the process, after the text
is tagged to your satisfaction. Often in technical manuals, there is
a standard-size graphic that is used over and over again. Rather
than draw and size the frame to hold this standard size over and
over again, you can create it once and then cut and paste it as
needed.
When the chapter is completely formatted and proofed, save it,
then use the Remove Text/File option of the Edit menu
(DOS/GEM version) or the Frame menu (WIndows version) to
remove all the graphic and text files. The headers and footers will

Chapter 14: Document Layout Strategies

295

remain, as will the frames that contained graphics. You can now
save this skeleton chapter as a template. For the next chapter,
load the text file into the template, then copy the frames for
graphics wherever needed (or delete them if not needed). Save
this chapter under a new name and start the third chapter, again,
from the template .

•:.

Ancillary Sections
Although most of the work that goes into laying out a book or a
manual is in creating the chapters, such a document is actually a
set of designs: cover, copyright and permissions page, acknowledgments, preface, table of contents, section division pages,
index pages, appendix pages, and other front and back matter.
Each separate ancillary section requires its own design and style
sheet.
For the table of contents, you can use Ventura's automatic Toe
generator to create the text, then load the file created by Ventura
(using the Generated File option in the Load Text/Picture dialog
box) and format it with a style sheet.

Newsletters
Unlike books, most newsletters use standard letter-size paper,
making it unnecessary to change the size of the base-page frame
from 81f2 by 11, and also making it unnecessary to draw crop
marks. What makes newsletter layouts different from books and
manuals is that various text files must be merged within a single
chapter.
The basic procedure for setting up a newsletter is as follows:
• Follow the universal procedure described at the beginning
of this chapter to set up a file structure, establish a style

296

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

sheet, remove any ruling borders or vertical lines from the
page, and select a page size.
o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

Select the base-page frame and indicate the number of
columns that the newsletter will contain. Enter the desired
widths for these columns, the gutters between them, and the
top, bottom, left, and right margins for the page. Make sure
that the calculated width - the sum of the widths and gutters - equals the actual frame width.
Select Show Column Guides, Turn Column Snap On, and
Turn Line Snap On in the Options or View menu.
Select Add New Frame and draw a horizontal frame to hold
the newsletter headline. Then draw two vertical frames to
hold articles.
Select Insert/Remove Page from the Chapter menu to create
the second page of the newsletter (still blank). Create more
pages, if desired. You may have to remove vertical lines
again. Draw frames on these columns.
Press PgUp to return to the first page.
Select the first frame and load a text file into it. Ventura will
load as much of the file as it can into that frame.
Press PgDn to go to the jump page. Select a frame and
select the text file name from the Assignment List to continue the article. Ventura will continue placing text, starting
where it left off. You can keep on going in this manner for
as many frames as you want.
Add a headline by using a large font (with scalable font
printers) or a scanned graphic of a typeset headline (if your
printer lacks large type).
Add a thin horizontal frame to contain the date, issue number, etc. Type this directly into the frame.
Add headers and footers.

Chapter 14: Document Layout Strategies

297

Tip 14-4---------------------------------------

Reusing a Layout
If you use the same format over and over, such as printing a
monthly newsletter, you can save time by reusing your layout.
Most newsletters are best formatted by setting up a two- or threecolumn master page, and then drawing a frame for each
column. After printing an issue, use the Remove Text/File option
of the Edit or Frame menu to save the layout as a template for the
next issue. Next time you format the newsletter, you merely insert
new text files into frames and adjust the lengths of the frames .

•:.

Continued On ... , Continued From...
When a newsletter story jumps to a new page, you have to insert
the phrase "continued on" at the bottom of one frame and "continued from" at the top of another. It's possible, but rather nerveracking, to attempt to embed the phrase directly in the text at the
end of the column. The problem is that if you adjust the text in
any way you'll find that the phrase will have moved and you have
to repeat the process. A better way is to create a caption for the
frame and type Continued On ... as the caption. Select Below for
the caption's position. Then tag the caption and create a new tag
to substitute for the automatically generated caption tag. Call your
substitute tag "Continued On." Follow the same procedure for the
Continued From ... but position the caption above the frame this
time and create a new tag called "Continued From."

For1lls
The quickest way to create most forms is with the table generator.
If you're using DOS/GEM Ventura without the Professional Extension, the best way to create most forms is with the free-form
method. Set up the base page frame with no ruling boxes or lines,

298

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

one column, and column guides not showing. If the form consists
of a single clump of continuous boxes, you can use the Box and
Box Text tools from the graphics palette to draw the boxes you
need directly onto the base page. In most forms, however, there
are groups of boxes clumped here and there on the page. In that
case, the best way to work is to create a frame for each group of
boxes and then draw your boxes within that frame.
The advantage of this way of setting up the page is that if you
have to reposition a group of boxes you can do so easily by
dragging the frame they belong to. The drawback is that you have
to make sure that you keep the correct frame selected while you
draw its contents. Every time you print the document or switch
from graphics mode to one of the other modes, the selection
switches back to the base page and you have to once again select
the frame you're working with.
The basic procedure is as follows:
. Create a frame for each group of boxes .
. Create the boxes with the Box Text tool.
• Add text to the boxes.
• Specify shading and borders for the boxes.
• Create tags for the text in the boxes and tag the text.
Using this method, you can create extremely complex forms,
moving into enlarged mode when necessary for detail work.
Ventura generates a tag called Z_BOXTEXT, and initially all boxes
are assigned this tag. However, you can tag the text within a box
with any other tag. The best way to work is to create a special
Box Text style sheet, complete with an array of tags for different
sorts of alignments and fonts .

•:.

Box Text Style Sheet
None of the style sheets provided with Ventura really lends itself
to the special requirements of tagging forms created with the box

299

Chapter 14: Document Layout Strategies

and box text commands. You'll
need to create your own Box
Text style sheet. To do so, load
the DEFAULT. STY style sheet
from the TYPESET subdirectory.
Save it under the new name:
BOXTEXT.STY.
In a typical form, you'll have
some text right aligned within
boxes, some left aligned, and
some centered. Various fonts
may be used, but sans serif faces
such as Swiss (Helvetica) and
Avant Garde are the most common. What you need in your
style sheet is a tag for each kind
of alignment and typeface, as
shown in Figure 14-1.

Add Hew Tag

t

I

Body Text

Sw:l$$ 10 .... c'SrHH}

401

Chapter 20: Using Fonts

computer's hard disk. Some fonts, designated as resident, are permanently stored in printer ROM and hence are always available
for use. In most PostScript printers, for example, the following
typeface families are resident in the printer: Times Roman, Helvetica, Helvetica Narrow, ITC Bookman, ITC Zapf Chancery,
Courier, Palatino, Avant Garde Gothic, New Century Schoolbook,
and Symbol. Table 20-1 shows a complete list. The HP LaserJet
Plus and Series II store Courier 12-point medium and bold, and
8-point Line Printer.
A closely related method of font storage is plug-in ROM
cartridges. In the past, these were used more commonly with
word processing programs than with desktop publishing
programs due to the limited number of typefaces and point sizes
on each cartridge, but new cartridges with more typefaces and
scalable sizes may change that.
A third method of storing fonts is on floppy or hard disks in the
computet. These are called soft fonts. A set for HP-compatible
printers is provided with Ventura. Additional soft fonts can be
purchased or generated.
The amount of storage space you'll need on your hard disk for
font files varies considerably, depending on whether the fonts are
in outline or bitmapped format. In the case of the HP LaserJet
Figure 20-2:

The Font Setting
dialog box for
the PostScript
width table.

U(hapter Title" FONT
:!~illlm:lE:El:E!!:!:mm!:!m::::m~:::

IT(
"""" ITC
:::::::::: ITC
......... ITC
1"

~
~

lE (olor m

fa c I!' :r:::r:mr::E!::!::!E!::E:::!Em::!:::!:::!:

Franklin Gothic Book/Dellli
Franklin Gothic Heav!I
Friz Quadrata
Galliard
l•

~ly~ha

.

Goudy Old Style
Helvetica Light

~

Custon Size: B3B.~ points
Ouerscore
Strike· Thru
Underline
Double Underline

Off
Off
Off
Off

t
t
t

t

Red
Green
Blue
(!Ian
Yellow
Magenta

402

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Series II, the amount of storage necessary is about 2.4 megabytes,
but for the lIP and III the amount of storage is about half that,
because these printers don't require separate files for portrait and
landscape fonts .

•:.

Selecting Fonts in Ventura
There are two ways to specify type characteristics within Ventura
- we'll call them the Paragraph Method and the Text Method.
The Paragraph Method uses a tag and sets the font for the entire
paragraph; the Text Method sets the font for a portion of the
paragraph, such as a single letter, a word, or a group of words.
You can also use your word processor to embed the codes used
by Ventura for specifying type .

• Paragraph Method
When you select a paragraph in tagging mode and then select a
tag, the font characteristics stored in that tag are automatically
applied to the entire paragraph. To change the font information
stored in a tag, select a paragraph, select the Font option from the
Paragraph menu, and choose the Face, Size, Style, and Color from
the dialog box. You can also select overscore, strike-through, underline, and double underline.
Under Face, the menu displays the typefaces available for the
width table you are currendy using. Note that the width table
need not be the same as the printer you are using. We'll discuss
the implications of that later in this chapter.
With printers that use bitmapped fonts, the menu shows the available options. With PostScript or the LaserMaster card, you can
select any custom size (Figure 2). Under the Styles heading, those
styles that are available in a particular size are shown in black;
others are shown in gray. For other printers, the size options are
listed in the scroll bar.

Chapter 20: Using Fonts

403

You can also use this dialog box to indicate the color of type.
Selecting white causes Ventura to save the amount of space that
would be taken up if the text were printed, or prints the characters in white if the background is gray or black. This is an extremely useful capability with many possible applications, such as
preparing color separations or printing white on black.

• Text Method
Use this method when you want to change a single letter, word,
or group of words within a paragraph to a different font.
Select text mode, then hold down the mouse button while you
drag the mouse across the characters you wish to select. Alternatively, click the mouse button once at your starting point, then
hold down the Shift key while you move the cursor to your ending point and click again. The passage, which must be contiguous
text, will be highlighted in black. Now select Set Font (DOS/GEM
version) or the Text menu (Windows version). The dialog box
that appears is similar to the dialog box used by the Tag method,
except that now it also includes the shifting and kerning controls.

Shifting means simply that the selected characters are moved up
or down the specified distance. Kerning means that characters are
moved to the left to tighten up spaces within the word. The most
frequent use of kerning is in situations where large type is used,
such as titles.
When using the shift or kerning controls, you should normally
work in fractional points. If the measurement units are different,
change them to fractional points by pointing the cursor directly at
the word "inches," "centimeters," or "picas & points" and clicking.
With kerning, the number you type determines the distance that
Ventura will move the two characters closer together.
Manual kerning should not be confused with automatic kerning,
which is also possible in Ventura provided that the font vendor
has included the relevant kerning information in the font width

404

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Figure 20-3: The

~e~Mfont(l

EXAMPLE1.SFP)U
fontspec(HELUTINY,2,2,B,B)U
fontspec(HLUN3BB6,2,6,B,B)U
fontspec(HLUN3BB8,2,8,B,B)U
fontspec(HLUB38B8,2,8,1,B)U
fontspec(HLUN381B,2,lB,B,B)U
fontspec(HLUB3B1B,2,lB,l,B)U
fontspec(HLUI3B1B,2,lB,4,B)U
fontspec(HLUN3B12,2,12,B,B)U
fontspec(HLUB3812,2,12,1,B)U
fontspec(HLUI3B12,2,12,4,B)U
fontspec(HLUB3814,2,14,1,B)U
fontspec(HLUB3818,2,18,1,8)U
fontspec(HLUB3B24,2,24,1,B)U
fontspec(TMSRTINY,14,2,B,B)U
fontspec(TMSN3BB6,14,6,B,B)U
fontspec(TMSN3BB8,14,8,B,B)U
fontspec(TMSB3BB8,14,8,1,B)U
fontspec(TMSN3B1B,14,lB,B,B)U

unmodified
HPLjPLUS.CNF
file, which is automatically installed
in the \ VENTURA
directory when
you install the program for the HP
Laserjet Plus
printer. You
should save this as
HPLjPLUS.OW.

..

Figure 20-4: The

same file after
being modified for
automatic
downloading of
10-point Swiss
and 24-point
Swiss bold, which
are located in the
VETFONTS directory of the D: drive.

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

.~

....

..

~

....

~

..... ,..

dounpath(D: 'Jetfonts')W~
perMfont(l HLUN3B1B. SFP)1Jl
perMfont(2 HLUB3B24.SFP)1Jl
fontspec(HELUTINY,2,2,B,B)1Jl
fontspec(HLUN3BB6,2,6,B,B)1Jl
fontspec(HLUN3BB8,2,8,B,B)1Jl
fontspec(HLUB3BB8,2,8,1,B)1Jl
fontspec(HLUN3BlB,2,lB,B,B)1Jl
fontspec(HLUB3B1B,2,lB,l,B)1Jl
fontspec(HLUI3B1B,2,lB,4,B)U
fontspec(HLUN3B12,2,12,B,B)1Jl
fontspec(HLUB3B12,2,12,1,B)1Jl
fontspec(HLUI3B12,2,12,4,B)1Jl
fontspec(HLUB3B14,2, 14, 1,B)1Jl
fontspec(HLUB3818,2,18,1,B)U
fontspec(HLUB3B24,2,24,1,B)1Jl
fontspec(TMSRTINY,14,2,B,B)1Jl
fontspec(TMSN3BB6,14,6,B,8)1Jl
fontspec(TMSN3BB8,14,8,B,B)1Jl

This line tells Ventura
where the fonts are 10eated (In this case, In
the \JETFONTS dlreetory).

These two lines tell
Ventura the names of
the fonts that are to
be automatically
downloaded. They are
assigned font ID numbers 1 and 2 respectlvely.

Chapter 20: Using Fonts

405

table. Note that there's also a keyboard shortcut, Shift Left-Arrow
or Shift Right-Arrow, that is usually an easier way to kern a pair of
letters or a group of words than tb enter kerning values in the
dialog box. The dialog box, however, can give you precise quantitative feedback on how much you have tightened or loosened
the kerning of the letters in your selection using the keyboard
shortcut .

• Using Embedded Font Codes
An additional way to specify type is to embed codes directly in

text files using a word processor. This option is described in
Chapter 8, "Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text."

.:.

Downloading Fonts
Since soft fonts are not resident in the printer or stored on
cartridges, they must be downloaded from your hard disk into the
printer each time the printer is turned on. Ventura handles this
task automatically: each time you print a chapter the program will
download the fonts used in that chapter.
While the automatic downloading feature is certainly convenient,
you may want to turn it off. For example, typically it is necessary
to print a document several times before you finally get it just
right. Particularly if your printer uses a serial port, you'll find that
waiting for the fonts to be downloaded each time is too time-consuming. A way to speed things up, which is explained below, is
to download all the fonts you need at the beginning of your work
session and then turn off automatic downloading .

• Downloading LaserJet Fonts
(DOS/GEM Version)
If you have a LaserJet compatible, downloading fonts into the
printer once at the beginning of a work session, rather than letting
Ventura automatically download fonts each time a chapter is

406
Figure 20-5:
Change the word
Download (at the
bottom of the style
list) to Resident
for those fonts that
are listed in the
HPIJPLUS.CNF file.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

ADD/REMOUE FONTS (D:\UENTURA\HPLJPLUS,WID . HP

(oPlPland: I Herge 'hdth Tables .. ,

LJ+)

I I RePlove Selected Font I

I Save As New Width Table .. , I

printed, can save a good deal of time. Ventura comes with a utility
called HPDOWN.EXE, located on the Utility disk. Copy this utility
into your \ VENTURA directory.
Load your word processing program, and load the file
HPLJPLUS.CNF- from the \ VENTURA directory. The file will look
like Figure 20-3. Before you modify this file, save a backup of it
under the name HPlJPLUS.OLD. Now you can modify the file. If
the fonts you want automatically downloaded are in a directory
other than \ VENTURA, add the following line at the top of the
file:
downpath(drive\directory)

Next, add the following line for each font you want downloaded:
permfont (ID# fontname)

Make sure that the only space is between the ID# and
filename of the font. Give the first font you want downloaded
ID# 1, the second font ID# 2, and so forth. Finally, delete
sample line that reads permfont(l EXAMPLEl.SFP). Save
file in ASCII format under the name HPLJPLUS.CNF.

the
the
the
the

407

Chapter 20: Using Fonts

Figure 20-4 shows an example of a modified HPLJPLUS.CNF file,
which names two fonts for automatic downloading, lO-point and
24-point Swiss. Both are located in the \JETFONTS directory.
Now that you've modified the HPLJPLUS.CNF file, you can
download the fonts listed in the file by typing
\VEN'lURA\BPDOWN

Alternatively, you can include that command as a line in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file, VP.BAT file, or VPPROEBAT file. You'll
know the fonts are being downloaded if the green light on the
LaserJet control panel starts blinking.
The final step in using your pre-downloaded fonts is done from
within Ventura. From the Options menu, select Add/Remove
Fonts. Select each of the fonts that you included in the
HPLJPLUS.CNF file for automatic downloading, and click on the
word Download (at the bottom of the Style menu) so that it is
changed to Resident. When a font is marked as Resident, Ventura
doesn't bother to download it to the printer each time a document
is printed. As a result, documents are printed a good deal faster
than before.

Figure 20-6: The

JetScript font
downloading program. The fonts already loaded or
resident in the
printer are listed
on the right. On
the left are the
downloadable
fonts contained in
the font directory.

Q"S JetScript Font Dounloader
» IrC GarMond Bold
»
»

ITC Gara"ond Bold Italic
ITC GarMond Light
lIe

(,df'''MOfl(i

I ICJhl

Irc
IrC
ITC
ITC

Souvenir
Souvenir
Souvenir
Souvenir

De"i
De"i Italic
Light
Light ItaUc

I L.lt,

Courier
Courier Bold
Courier Bold Oblique
Courier ObliqulJ
Helvetica
Helvetica Bold
Helvetica Bold Obllque
Helvetica "arrau
Helvetica "arrau Bold
Helvetica Harrou Bold Oblique
Helvetica "arrou Obllque
Helvetica Oblique
ITC Avant Garde Gothic Book
ITC Avant Garde Gothic Book Oblique
ITC Avant Garde Gothic D_i
ITC Avant Garde Gothic De"1 Oblique
ITC Book"an De"i
ITC Book"an De"i Italic

~-------~--~--

Help(FD
Hove Selection Bar
-e 0102 and press 
• You'll now see OC. Type
OD and press 

428

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

following the OC. What you're doing is substituting hex 13
for hex 12 in the third byte of the file.
Now type
-wand press 
-q and press 
to save your work and quit. Follow the same procedure to create
9- and 11-point type from 10-point, 15-point type from 14-point
type, etc. Don't create unnecessary screen fonts, however, because
each screen font in the system reduces the amount of memory
available for holding text and graphics.

Tip 2 1 - 1 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

One Extension at a Time
You can only use screen fonts with one type of extension at a
time. For example, if most of your screen fonts use the EGA
extension and you then add PostScript screen fonts with the PSF
extension, you can use one or the other, but not both at the same
time. It's possible, however, to combine two types of fonts, as
described in the next tip.

Tip 2 1 - 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Changing Screen Font Extensions
This tip may not work under all circumstances, but it's worth
trying if you have screen fonts from two different sources that
you'd like to use in the same document. Rename the screen font
files so that they share the same extension. For example, give them
the common extension 001, then change the screen font extension in the Set Printer Info dialog box to 001.

Chapter 21: Adding New Fonts

.:.

429

Step Seven: Copy Printer Flles to the
Correct Directory
Normally, PostScript fonts are stored in the \PSFONTS directory,
and non-PostScript fonts in the \ VENTURA directory. However, if
you add a new line to the CNF file for your printer, you can use a
different directory. Note that the installation program provided by
Adobe handles this step automatically.
For LaserJet compatibles, use your word processor or ASCII text
editor to add the following line to the top of the HPLJPLUS.CNF
file, which is located in the \ VENTURA directory:
downpath(C:\JETFONTS\)
For more details on adding that line to HPLJPLUS.CNF, see Figures
20-3 and 20-4 in Chapter 20, "Using Fonts."
For PostScript printers, if you want to store your fonts in a directory other than \PSFONTS, add the following line to the top of
the POSTSCPT.CNF file, which is located in the \ VENTURA directory:
downpath(C:\JETFONTS\)
For more details on editing CNF files, see Figures 20-3 and 20-4 in
Chapter 20, "Using Fonts."

.:.

Step Eight: Copy Screen Fonts to the
\ VENTURA Directory
You can also copy screen fonts to the \ VENTURA \ VPFONTS
directory. Note that although you can have screen fonts with different extensions (e.g., VGA, EGA, PSF) stored in the same directory, Ventura can only recognize fonts with one extension at a
time. The type of screen fonts currently being used is determined
under Set Printer Info in the Options menu. As explained in the
tip above, you can change the screen font extension to organize
your screen fonts into sets.

430
.:.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Step Nine: Copy the WID File(s) for Your New
Fonts to the \ VENTURA Directory and Merge
Them with Your Current Width Table
With many PostScript fonts, this step is not necessary because
they are already part of Ventura's POSTSCPT.WID file. To find out
which fonts are already in that file, switch to tagging mode, select
a paragraph, select Font from the Paragraph menu, and scroll
through the list of fonts. Use the Add/Remove Fonts selection
from the Options menu (DOS/GEM version) or the Manage Width
Table option from the File menu (Windows version) to merge the
width table for the new fonts with your current width table.
For each font that you add, the final step is to make sure that
Ventura marks it with "Download" under Add/Remove Fonts (unless you want to download each font manually, using the procedure described in Chapter 20, "Using Fonts") .

•:.

Example One: Generating and Installing a
Fontware Font
Now let's look at an actual example of generating and installing a
new font, going through all the steps from installing the Fontware
utility to merging width tables. Generally, in using Fontware,
you'll generate a number of fonts in a batch, possibly leaving the
computer over your lunch break or even overnight to perform the
time-consuming process of creating size-specific bitmaps from its
master font outlines. The first time you use Fontware, however,
it's a good idea to just generate a single font and test out all the
steps of the installation procedure. That way, if you make a mistake and have to backtrack, you'll waste a lot less time.

• Installing Fontware
• Place Fontware Installation Kit Disk 1 in the A: drive of your
computer.

431

Chapter 21,' Adding New Fonts

• Type A: Fontware
• Select a directory for the Fontware program. Normally, this
will be C:\FONTWARE.
• Select the directory that contains Ventura. This will normally
be C: \ VENTURA.
• Select the type of display you are using.
• Select a character set for your display fonts (i.e., screen
fonts). Normally, you should choose VP International. For
more information about character sets, see "Character Sets"
below.
• Select the type of printer you are using.
• Select the character set for your printer fonts. Normally, you
should choose VP International.
• At this point, the screen will look like Figure 21-3. Press FlO
to accept the settings for monitor, printer, and symbol sets .

• Making the Fonts
• You should now be in the Fontware Typefaces menu. If you
aren't, press Esc to go to the Main Menu and select
Add/Delete Fontware Typefaces.

Soft Craft Fontware Installation PrograM VERSION 1.3
Cop~right(C)1987 SoftCraft, Inc.
Portions(C)BitstreaM

Figure 21-3: The

Fontware Control
Panel shows you
what directories
contain Fontware
and Ventura,
what display and
printer you are
using, and what
character sets you
want to use for
your screen fonts
and printer fonts.

Press ENTER to choose the highl ighted SYMbol set.
p(ln",

~nMP

nyt

(:.,...,.:t

kplJ~

on

t hp

lH~"n~~

.. n

rhnnc::p

Use the t. J, PgUp,

~nnt

hpyt ,,==uMhn 1

<:'pt

432

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• Press F3 to add a new typeface.
• Place the typeface disk for Dutch in drive A and press Enter.
• Select Dutch roman only. Don't select italic, bold, or bolditalic.
• Select FlO to copy the Dutch roman master outline to your
hard disk.
• Select FlO to go to the Make Fonts menu.
• Press Enter to verify Dutch roman as your selection, then
type 11 and press Enter. The screen should look like Figure
21-4.
• Press FlO to make the font. Fontware will tell you how
much time the procedure will take .

• Installing the Fonts into Ventura
• Whenever it generates a font or set of fonts, Fontware automatically creates a Ventura width table to match what it has
generated. At the end of the generation process, Fontware
will display the name of the new width table. Copy the
name onto a piece of paper. In this case, it's HP _LJOOO.WID.
• Now quit Fontware and type
DIR C: \ VENTURA \

Fontuare Make Fonts

Figure 21-4: The

Make Fonts menu
shows what fonts
you want
Fontwareto
generate.

* . SF?

............
Dutch

Point Size Selection

ROMan

Uentura Style : Hor"al
Reco""ended Size: 6 and up
Reco""ended Use : Text
to accept sizes
Pi

'UM

hpln

Enter each size you uant, folloued by a
a space. Enter only uhole nu"bers.
Exa"ple: 9 18 24
Esc to go back

Ctrl-O to quit
pq

n~~tp

Chapter 21: Adding New Fonts

433

DOS will list all the LaserJet fonts that are in your Ventura
directory. Portrait fonts have the extension SFP, and
landscape fonts have the extension SFL. Among the fonts in
the directory should be llOIHP.SFP and llOIHP.SFL, the
portrait and landscape versions of the ll-point Dutch roman
font, which you just generated.
• Before you load Ventura, you need to copy the new width
table into the Ventura directory. Type
COpy C: \FONTWARE\HP_LJOOO • WID C: \ VENTURA
• Now load Ventura.
• From the Options menu, select Set Printer Info.
• Make sure that the current width table is HPLJPLUS.WlD. If
not, select Load Different Width Table and select
HPLJPLUS.WID from the list. When you've done that, select
OK to leave the Set Printer Info menu.
• From the Options menu, select Add/Remove Fonts.
• Select Merge Width Tables.
• From the list of width tables, select HP_LJOOO.WlD.
• Select OK.
Now the new font should be installed along with the rest of your
LaserJet fonts. To check whether the installation worked, tag a
paragraph, select Font from the Paragraph menu, and see if Dutch
ll-point Normal is on the list.

• Adding Screen Fonts
In the example above, we didn't generate and install a screen font
to match the ll-point Dutch roman printer font. If you want to
create screen fonts to match your printer fonts, you can do so
either at the same time that you generate your printer fonts or at
a later time. To go back and forth from the printer font menu to
the screen font menu, press F2.
Once you have generated screen fonts, there is no need to install
them. Ventura will automatically use them as long as the exten-

434

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Character Sets
In deciding which fonts to purchase and add to your system, the most
Important factors are obviously the design of the typeface and the point
sizes available in that typeface. But don't overlook the matter of what character set is included In the font. Unless the font includes characters such as
the cent sign (¢) or true quotation marks (" and "), there is no way that
you'll be able to print those characters In the desired typeface.
ASCII (or US ASCII)
The most basic character set is the ASCII set (American .Standard Code
for Information Interchange). Numbers 0 to 31 of the ASCII set are reserved
for unprintable control characters. Number 32 is the space character. Numbers 33 through 127 include the standard upper- and lowercase letters of
the English alphabet as well as the punctuation marks and symbols found
on a standard computer keyboard-92 characters in all. Most other character sets (except those made up entirely of special characters, like Ventura's
Symbol font) are supersets of the ASCII set. They fill out the ASCII set with
characters in the range above 127. Because numbers up to 127 can be
represented by 7 binary bits, the ASCII set is referred to as a 7-bit character
set. To represent numbers above 127 you need 8 binary bits; hence, such
sets are referred to as 8-bit sets and the characters numbered above 127
are called "high-bit" or "extended ASCII" characters.
Many fonts, especially in large point sizes, include only the ASCII character set. This applies to many third-party fonts for the HP LaserJet as well as
to Hewlett-Packard's own soft fonts numbered 33412AC (TmsRmn/Helv),
33412AE (TmsRmn/Helv), 33412RA (ITC Garamond), 33412SA (Century
Schoolbook), 33412TA (Zapf Humanist 601), and 33412UA (Headline
Typefaces).
Conspicuously absent from the ASCII set are any typographic symbols
not found on the keyboard. These include true left and right quotation
marks (" and "), the em dash (-), copyright and trademark symbols (©, ®,
and TM), European characters (such as a, a, and a), commercial symbols
(such as ¢, £, and ¥), and typographic symbols (such as :t: and ~).
The Ventura International Set
The character set used by the printer and screen fonts provided with
the Ventura package is referred to in the Ventura manual as the International set and by others as either the International or the Ventura character set.
It is an 8-bit character set that Includes a full complement of typographic
symbols missing from the standard computer keyboard, as well as charac-

Chapter 21: Adding New Fonts

435

ters needed by some European languages: Spanish, French, Italian, and
German. The full set Is shown In Appendix E of the Ventura manual.

The Roman-8 Set
The Roman-8 set is an 8-bit character set used by Hewlett-Packard for
many of Its cartridge and soft fonts. Since Roman-8 is the character set
provided on the F cartridge, It Is the only character set available to you if
you use Ventura with a plain HP LaserJet. It Is also the character set used on
Hewlett-Packard's soft fonts numbered 33412AD (TmsRmn/Helv), 33412AF
(TmsRmn/Helv), 33412DA (Letter Gothic), and 33412EA (Prestige Elite).
The high-bit characters of the Roman-8 set are mainly European and
currency symbols. Missing are a number of important typographic and commercial symbols, Including ", ", §, :1:, t, ~, ©, ®, and TM. Finally, the set lacks a
satisfactory bullet character.
The Symbol Font Character Set
The Symbol font is also an 8-bit font. It Includes a number of scientific
and mathematical symbols, the Greek alphabet (uppercase and lowercase), and a variety of miscellaneous symbols. The set matches Adobe's
Symbol character set through character 207, at which point it diverges
Slightly.
The VP US Character Set
This symbol set has fewer characters than the VP International character set, so fonts that use it take up significantly less room on the hard disk.
However, unlike ASCII or Roman-8, the VP US character set includes a number of useful typographic symbols, including true ", ", §, :1:, t, ~, -, ©, ®, ¢,
%0, and TM. The VP US character set is an option with Bitstream's Fontware
and also with Hewlett-Packard's Type Director.

436

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

sian of the fonts matches the Ventura's default screen font extension. If you want to find out what extension Ventura is using,
select Set Printer Info from the Options menu. The extension
eGA, VGA, or EGA will be listed next to Screen Fonts .

•:.

Example Two: Installing a Laser}et Font
Now that we have seen how to generate and install fonts with
Bitstream's Fontware, let's look at a different example. This time,
we'll describe a worst case situation: where you bought a font that
does not have a matching WID file.
The first order of business is to copy the font conversion utilities
from Ventura's Utility Disk to the \ VENTURA directory.
• Place the Utility Disk in drive A.
• Type
COpy A:\HPLJPLUS\HPLTOVFM.EXE C:\VENTURA

• Type
COpy A: \HPLJPLUS\VFMTOWID.EXE C: \VENTURA

Next, copy the font (for our example we'll use 30-point
Garamond Bold, which is contained in a file called
GA300BPN.USP) into the same directory and rename it to meet
Ventura's specifications.
• Put the disk containing the font in drive A.
• From DOS, type
COPYA:GA300BPN.USP C:\VENTURA

• Type
RENAME GA300BPN.USP HPLJG30B.SFP

This is not documented in the manual, but it is necessary.
The HPL] must be the first four characters of the font, the G
stands for Garamond (the initials for other characters are in
Appendix K of the manual), 30 is for the point size and b
for bold. For more instructions on renaming fonts, type
HPLTOVFM

Chapter 21: Adding New Fonts

437

without naming a font. Ventura will produce a screen
describing the correct naming conventions.
Now you can run the conversion utilities to create a VFM file.
• Type BPLTOVFM
This produces a screenful of instructions explaining what
switches to use with HPLTOVFM.EXE.
• Type
BPLTOVFMBPLJG30B.SFP/F=GARAMOND/N=22/T

The N=22 is the typeface identification number for Garamond,
derived from the table in Appendix K of the Ventura manual. The
T means that since there is no screen font for Garamond, Ventura
is to use Times (Le., Dutch) to represent it on screen. The result
of this conversion is a file called HPLJG30B.VFM
Next, convert the VFM file to a WID file (a width table).
• Type
COPY CON BPLJG30B.LST

• Type
BPLJG30B.VFM

• Type
Ctrl-Z

• Type
VFMTOWID BPLJG30B.LST

Now you can load Ventura, try out the new HPLJG30B width
table, then merge it with the existing LaserJet Plus width table.
• Load Ventura, and from the Options menu select Set Printer
Info. Next, select Load Different Width Table and select
HPL]G30B.WID.
• Type a word or two and print it out to check that the width
table is working.
• Select Load Different Width Table and select
HPL]PLUS.WID.
• From the Options menu select Add/Remove Fonts.

438

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• Select Merge Width Tables.
• Select HPIJG30B.WID.
• Save As New Width Table.
You now will find that 30-point Garamond Bold is one of the
regular selections for fonts with your Laser]et Plus driver.

Font Tools
The purpose of this chapter is to give you an overview of the
variety of font tools on the market. The programs we'll look at fall
into several categories:

· On-the-Fly Windows Font Generators. These programs,
which include Adobe Type Manager for Windows,
Bitstream's FaceLift, MoreFonts, PowerPak, and SuperPrint,
provide a variety of capabilities for the Windows version of
Ventura, including on-the-fly generation of screen fonts and
faster printing.

· Other Font Generators. These programs offer less convenience than the on-the-fly font generators, but they are
still quite useful, since they create fonts for LaserJet and
other non-PostScript printers from master outlines. They include Fontware, MoreFonts, Type Director, and Publisher's
PowerPak.

440

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

· Font Editing Software. These programs allow you to
modify the appearance of your fonts. They include Publisher's Type Foundry, SoftCraft Font Editor, Font Effects, and
fontART. Over the past few years, the state of the art in font
editing software has advanced greatly. Unfortunately, many
obsolete programs are still on the market, waiting to snag
the unsuspecting buyer. The crudest programs are those that
must be used in conjunction with an ASCII text editor or
word processing program. With the editor, you create each
character as a pattern of dots or asterisks. You then save this
pattern as a text file and merge it into an existing font using
the font-editing program. Obviously, using this sort of fontediting system is tedious and slow. An example is SoftCraft's
Efont program. In contrast, the newest font-editing programs
work much like painting programs. Using a mouse (or, alternatively, the keyboard), you draw your character on the
screen using pens or brushes of adjustable thickness, linedrawing tools, and even tools to automatically create circles,
ovals, and polygons.
· Other Font Tools. The final utilities discussed in this chapter are a screen font generator called WYSIfonts! and a font
compression program called FontSpace.

On-the-Fly Windows Font Generators
What goes from 2 to 254 in 45 seconds? What's able to create tall
type in a single bound? Is it bird? Is it a 747? No, it's the high-flying
world of fonts-on-the-fly for Windows.
It wasn't so long ago that if you wanted the ease and flexibility of

scalable fonts you had to buy a PostScript printer. Now any old
LaserJet Plus or Series II (or DeskJet or dot-matrix printer for that
matter) can print any size font, any time. This mean there's no

Chapter 22: Font Tools

441

need to generate bitmapped fonts in advance or fill your hard
disk with megabytes of the pesky things. You're free - as a bird.
That is, a bird with a 386 computer and two megabytes of memory (theoretically you can use a 286, but only if you have the
patience of an ostrich waiting to fly), a copy of Windows 3.0 and
one of the following: Adobe Type Manager (ATM); Bitstream
FaceLift; MicroLogic Software's MoreFonts; Atech's Publisher's
PowerPak; or Zenographics' SuperPrint. All these programs can
give you screen and printer fonts on the fly from scalable outline
fonts.
The whole trend started with ATM on the Mac. ATM eliminated
inaccurate, jagged screen fonts and replaced them with smooth,
WYSIWYG fonts that made the screen look more like the printed
page. The same technology that displays fonts on-screen also
sends them to non-PostScript printers - not as normal downloadable fonts, but as graphics. The surprise here is that not only does
it work, but it works great - sometimes faster than traditional
downloadable fonts.
But it's not so much the similarities of these programs but the
differences that are important. And, as with birds, they all fly, but
they all do it differently and have their own special advantages
and disadvantages. Let's take a look at them one by one (in alphabeticalorder).

Profik-----------------------------------------

ATM (Adobe Type Manager)
Adobe's offering is the simplest, yet surprisingly, it also tied for
second fastest of the bunch (and actually the fastest for any program using true bold and italic foundry fonts). You heard right.
PostScript has never been known for its speed, but Adobe has
optimized its Type 1 font format rasterizing to the point where it's
a standout for speed - both on-screen and on-paper. Even with
the normal 96K font cache (the area in memory reserved for storing fonts), ATM was faster than FaceLift with a 256K cache.

442

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Screen scrolling is very fast. You hardly have to wait as the fonts
are created for the screen. Scrolling is smooth, and doesn't have
the slight delays you can experience with some of the other programs.
The printed quality isn't just indistinguishable from what would
come out of a PostScript printer..;..... it can be sharper than what
came out of many PostScript printers. In the past you could always spot pages output on a PostScript laser printer because they
tended to be a little darker and more jagged than LaserJet bitmaps. But with ATM, the fonts print light and clean - really top
quality. ATM comes with Times Roman, Helvetica, Courier, and
Symbol, and uses any Type 1 font, from any font foundry (including, of course, Adobe).
If you want the rest of the standard 35 fonts that are resident in
most PostScript printers, Adobe sells its Plus Pack for $198. To
help you build your type library, Adobe offers extra value through
three reasonably priced TypeSets. The two display sets each contain seven display faces, and cost only $99. Set 1 includes: Bodoni
Poster, Cottonwood, Freestyle Script, Hobo, Linotext, Trajan, and
VAG rounded. Set 2 contains Cooper Black, Copperplate Gothic
31AB, Franklin Gothic No.2 Roman, Juniper, Lithos Bold, Peignot
Demi, and Present Script. Set 3 contains eleven text faces and
costs $198: Adobe Garamond (Regular, Italic, Semi-bold, Semibold-italic), Helvetica Light (Light Oblique, Black, Black Oblique),
Helvetica Compressed, Tekton, and Tekton Oblique.
If you have a PostScript printer, ATM is the only program to consider. If you have a LaserJet it's still a good bet. Adobe has the
largest font library available for the PC, many new original typefaces, and the only caveat is that they also have the highest font
prices (4-weight packages cost $185).
Despite rumors to the contrary, ATM does work with Ventura for
Windows. It works best when you use the ENVIRONMENT.WID
width table (generated automatically by Ventura) rather than older
Ventura width tables.

Chapter 22: Font Tools

443

One important point to remember - ATM's magic only applies to
fonts, not graphics. Even though ATM can print PostScript fonts
on non-PostScript printers, it won't let you print PostScript graphics on a LaserJet. To do that, you'll have to upgrade your printer
to full PostScript capability by adding a PostScript cartridge or
software interpreter such as GoScript.

Profik-------------------------------------------------

Bitstream FaceLift
FaceLift, Bitstream's entry into the Windows screen font fray is
based on its fast new "Speedo" font format. Despite the name,
"Speedo" is not necessarily faster than older technology. For example, a page that took 60 seconds to print using pre-made font
bitmaps took 90 seconds to print the first time with FaceLift and
80 seconds the second time.
While ATM puts a high priority on simplicity, FaceLift goes for
control. It allows you to create disk-based bitmapped fonts to
improve performance, control the number and size of fonts that
will be cached, specify whether or not you want to save the cache
to disk so the fonts don't have to be rebuilt each session, and
control print quality on inkjet and dot-matrix printers.
While FaceLift doesn't beat ATM, the speed is still acceptable.
Screen fonts appear quickly and cleanly, and they scroll smoothly. The Speedo format fonts share the same font metrics (widths)
as Bitstream's Fontware typefaces, so your documents should not
require reformatting.
FaceLift comes with a larger assortment of fonts than ATM, including Swiss (Helvetica), Dutch (Times Roman), Park Avenue, Bitstream Cooper Black, Formal Script (Ondine/Mermaid), Brush
Script, and Monospace (Helvetica Monospace).
Bitstream has lowered the prices of its font packages from $195 to
$129, and its "Collections" (a bundle of type packages) from $299
to $199. This makes Bitstream fonts an even better value.

444

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
1234567890&$£0/0.,:;-!?"
abcdeJghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
ABCDEFGHIJKLN.1NOPQRST~Z

1234567890&$£%.,:; -!?"

abcdefghijldmnopqrstuvwxyz
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
1234567890&$£0/0.,: ;-!?"

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST~Z

1234567890&$£%.,: ;-!?"

Figure 22-1: The Bitstream Charter family, a new set of typefaces designed by Bitstream's

Matthew Carter for optimal appearance on a laser printer.

Bitstream is also offering three special Companion Packs for FaceLift: The Companion Value Pack is a terrific value because it contains 24 typefaces (the equivalent of six regular packages) and
costs only $199. It includes: Bitstream Amerigo (Roman, Italic,
Bold, Bold-Italic); Bitstream Charter (Roman, Italic, Black, BlackItalic); Century Schoolbook (Roman, Italic, Bold, Bold Italic);
Futura Light (Light Italic, Condensed, Extra Black); Swiss Compressed and Extra Compressed; Exotic Bold and Demi-bold; Coronet Bold; ITC Zapf Chancery; Clarendon and Clarendon Bold.
Bitstream also offers a Companion Pack for PostScript (the standard 35) for $179, and a Companion Pack for the LaserJet III for
$99.

Chapter 22: Font Tools

445

As always, Bitstream's font quality is first rate, and the Bitstream
library for the PC has long been known for its variety and excellence.

An important note: FaceLift only works with the latest Fontware
outlines (the ones with the silver diamond on the label). However, Bitstream does let you upgrade any of your Fontware fonts
to the new Speedo format. The price is $30 for the first package
you upgrade and $15 for ea~h additional package.

Profue-----------------------------------------MicroLogic MoreFonts
While. the other packages in this article assume that your entire
life will revolve around Windows and solid black fonts, MoreFonts takes a different approach. The standard package also includes scalable font solutions for WordPerfect, LetterPerfect, and
Microsoft Word - as well as terrific special effects.
The install program doesn't run under Windows, so it's a little
trickier to install than the others. But this same install program can
create truly dazzling special effects - outlines, shadows, gray
fills, and pattern fills, including some that look like they were
airbrushed. It displays the special effects on-screen and then
creates bitmapped fonts (special effects aren't available in scalable format). On a 386 in enhanced mode, this install program
can run inside a window.
Like ATM and FaceLift, MoreFonts creates screen fonts on the fly,
but unlike them it requires its own screen drivers. Still, the program can take any existing Windows driver and automatically
convert it for its own use. MoreFonts also uses its own special
printer drivers. These drivers worked fine with everything tested,
but they printed graphics just a bit slower than the standard
drivers.
MoreFonts is fast, taking about a third less time than FaceLift to
print the same page. Screen fonts are created very quickly and

446

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

scrolling is smooth. The program comes with the standard Times
and Helvetica clones (called Geneva and Tiempo), and a very
useful selection of display fonts: Pageant (Coronet - much nicer
than Park Avenue); Opera (University Roman); Showtime (Broadway); Burlesque (Cooper Black); along with a monospaced font
called Financial.
Type quality is surprisingly good, considering the fonts are not
from a "major" foundry. MoreFonts will only use additional faces
from MicroLogic Software, but they are high-quality and lowpriced. At $70 each, "Display" packages contain five different
faces and "Classic" packages contain four weights of one
typeface. You can purchase packages in groups of three for $100,
or all six display packages together for $150; all 20 "Classic" packages cos~ $250, and the entire library of 26 packages can be had
for $300 (about the price of two packages from a big font
foundry).
MoreFonts is also the only program in this group that can create
LaserJet III format downloadable fonts so that the printer can do
the font scaling for added performance. Because of its great performance, special effects, and low add-on font prices, MoreFonts
means more value.

Profik----------------------------------------

Atech's Publisher's PowerPak
Fast and cheap are the words that describe Publisher's PowerPak.
In our tests, it was over twice as fast at printing as FaceLift. But
there are strings attached, mainly that the page did not include
real italic or bold fonts, but was printed with electronically slanted
and bolded fonts. These may be acceptable for casual use, but not
if you need professional quality.
Except for the lack of true italic and bold, PowerPak's type quality
is very good. Like MoreFonts, PowerPak uses its own screen
driver to create screen fonts, but PowerPak can't convert existing
drivers and will only work with systems that use CGA, EGA, VGA,

447

Chapter 22: Font Tools

CGA, EGA, EGAmono, VGA, VGAmono, MCGA, Hercules, Plasma, and 8514. Screen fonts are created quickly and scrolling is
smooth.
PowerPak is the least expensive of the bunch ($79) but comes
with fewest fonts: Dixon (Helvetica), Marin (Times), and Cobb
(Courier). While the number is small, these faces can be electronically condensed or expanded into countless variations including
thin, condensed, wide, expanded, and hollow (outline) versions.
PowerPak's add-on faces are also inexpensive, costing a mere $30
for each set of standard faces (each package includes one weight
of two typefaces; PowerPak will slant and bold them), and $79 for
faces licensed from the respected Monotype foundry (four
weights of a single typeface or four display faces).
PowerPak also offers foreign language faces, including Cyrillic,
Greek, Hebrew, IPA Roman, Transliterator, Korean Gwang Ju,
Korean Inchon, Korean Pusan, Korean Seoul, Thai Bangkok, Thai
Chiang Mai, Thai Sara Buri, and Thai Sukanya.
The program uses its own printer drivers and includes support for
over 300 models of laser, inkjet, and 8- or 24-pin dot-matrix printers. PowerPak's LaserJet driver printed graphics just a bit slower
than the standard drivers.

Profik-----------------------------------------

SuperPrint
Alphabetically last, but certainly not least, is Zenographics' SuperPrint. True to its name, it's Super. Printing an example page took
60 seconds, but because of SuperQue (a print caching program
included in the package) we were able to get back to work in
only 10 seconds. While SuperQue printed in the background, we
were able to continue working in Ventura with no loss of performance. So while the program isn't the "fastest," it is the most
productive because you don't have to wait around while your
pages print. This is especially important for multiple-page docu-

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

ments. While your 30-page report prints in the background, you
can go back to work on your computer instead of waiting.
SuperPrint offers two more unique and important features: First, it
supports all major font formats - simultaneously. It works with
Adobe's Type 1, Bitstream's Speedo and Fontware (so you don't
have to upgrade your Fontware fonts), Compugraphic's Intellifonts, Digital Typeface Corp's Nimbus-Q, and LaserJet format
bitmapped fonts (for those special faces that may not have been
duplicated in outline format). At last you can choose the faces
(and versions) you like best, regardless of the format. And your
previous investment in fonts is preserved.
Second, while the other programs only deal with text and print
graphics like the standard Windows drivers (or slower), SuperPrint actually improves the quality of graphics, giving them a
more PostScript-like look, especially in fountains and fills (it
doesn't however, print PostScript graphics). It also prints graphics
significantly faster than other printer drivers. Since one of the
reasons you're using Windows may be that you want to include
graphics in your documents, SuperPrint's approach makes perfect
sense.
While the other programs use RAM to create and cache screen
fonts, SuperPrint uses less memory by creating disk-based screen
fonts. Of course, this means you'll need to reserve more disk
space (at least 512K or 2MB for best performance). Screen fonts
take a few seconds longer to create than with the other programs,
but once created, they display and scroll quickly.
At the end of each session SuperPrint will delete the fonts unless
you ask to save them (so they don't have to be created again next
time). This all works fine, except that there's a bug in Windows 3
(not in SuperPrint): in enhanced mode (the preferred mode for
386s), Windows will not display screen fonts larger than 64K, so if
you're working with a lot of large type you'll have to do it in
standard mode until this bug is fixed. Microsoft acknowledges the
bug and has promised to fix it as soon as possible.

Chapter 22: Font Tools

449

SuperPrint supports the LaserJet, DeskJet, and PaintJet printers.
PaintJet and DeskJet support are exceptional, printing much faster
than standard drivers, and, in the case of the PaintJet, producing
better colors. Versions are also available for many color laser
printers.
The program includes the follow fonts: Nimbus Sans (Helvetica);
Nimbus Roman (Times), Nimbus Mono (Courier), URW Symbols,
Nimbus Century Schoolbook, Compugraphic Futura, and a single
weight of Bitstream Charter. Zenographics offers a "SuperFonts"
package that rounds out the standard 35 from the DTC/Nimbus
library. The Nimbus font quality is adequate, but not exceptional,
so if you buy SuperPrint, purchase your fonts from Bitstream or
Adobe.
Unless you have a PostScript or LaserMaster printer, SuperPrint is
the best way to print from Windows.
So there you have it. Whichever of these programs you decide on,
they'll help make what you see what you get - and help your
imagination take flight.

Other Font Generators
Not quite as convenient to use as the on-the-fly font generators,
the programs described below require you to think ahead, anticipating what sizes of fonts you'll need prior to working in Ventura. You'll also need to reserve 5MB, 10MB, or even more space
on your hard disk to hold the fonts you're generating. Finally,
you'll need to be somewhat judicious in generating screen fonts,
since having too many screen fonts in use with Ventura at the
same time can slow the program down considerably.
Because of the new generation of on-the-fly screen and printer
font generators for Windows, you'll generally be using the

450

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

programs discussed here ·if you're working with the DOS/GEM
version.

Profik----------------------------------------Fontware
Give 'em the razors, then sell 'em the razor blades. That's the tried
and true strategy being used to promote Fontware. Because it has
been bundled with the DOS/GEM version of Ventura since release
2.0, Bitstream's Fontware is the most familiar font generator for
most people. Along with the free installation package, you're provided with two or three sample font outlines. Additional outlines
can be purchased from Bitstream.

• Background
The development work behind Fontware actually predates desktop publishing. Bitstream, the company that created Fontware,
was organized in 1981 as the world's first digital type foundry.
Initially, the company concentrated on supplying type for expensive typesetting equipment, but with the arrival of laser printers it
began supplying type to the manufacturers of those systems. For
example, most of the cartridge and downloadable fonts sold by
Hewlett-Packard were developed by Bitstream.
The technology embodied in Fontware actually amounts to a set
of artificial intelligence algorithms that check the results of the
outline-to-bitmap conversions and make minor revisions, just like
a typographic expert. Other font-generating programs now incorporate similar algorithms, but the technology developed by Bitstream is still unsurpassed. Outlines are available for scores of
typeface families, and within most of these families there are four
variations: roman, italic, bold, and bold italic. Most of these typefaces are already popular in commercial typography. In addition,
Bitstream's Matthew Carter has developed the Charter family,
which is designed to be especially crisp and legible when rendered by a laser printer (see Figure 22-1).

451

Chapter 22: Font Tools

• Storage Requirements
To generate Fontware fonts, you need to specify the sizes you
want. Because of the amount of memory each font requires once
you have generated it, you'll need to be judicious and not clog
your hard disk with too many sizes. Note that the largest Fontware font you can use with a LaserJet Plus is about 36 points; with
a LaserJet II it is about 72 points.

• Character Set or Symbol Set
The character sets generated by Fontware all include the English
alphabet, but they differ in the remaining characters they provide,
such as punctuation marks, special symbols, and foreign accented
characters.
With the version of Fontware bundled with Ventura, you can generate the VP US character set (116 characters), the VP International character set (190 characters) or the PostScript Outline character set (186 characters).
The VP International set is the character set used by the fonts that
come with Ventura; however, for large fonts used in headlines,
you're probably better off choosing VP US. Here's why:
• As Table 22-1 shows, fonts with the VP US character set require about 47 percent less storage space on your hard disk
than fonts that use the VP International character set. At 116
characters, it requires only slightly more storage space than
US ASCII, which has 95 characters.
• Unlike other reduced character sets (such as US ASCII), the
VP US character set includes the most frequently required
typographic symbols (II, ", §,
t, 1, ©, @, TM, ... , %0, ., -,
- , ., and ,,). What's lacking are some of the less frequently
used typographical symbols ( 0, " " -, ., and () and accented
characters (A, a, A, A, etc.).

*,

452

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• Fontware for the LaserJet ill
While not included in the standard Fontware package, a new
module is available that allows you to transform Fontware outlines into Laser]et III outlines which the printer will scale (as a
PostScript printer does).
This module won't create a Ventura width table; instead it creates
"Autofont" files. This is a new system designed by HP so that any
program with AutoFont support can automatically install Laser]et
III fonts. Hewlett Packard is distributing this conversion program
for free, and they can be contacted at 303-353-7650.
Ventura does not come standard with a driver for the LaserJet III,
however. If you want to buy one, the best available comes from
VPUG (the Ventura Publisher Users Group, 408/227-5030). This
VPUG driver supports AutoFont and will be able to install the
fonts created by the Fontware LaserJet III module.

Profik------------------------------------------

SoftCraft's Fontware
The Fontware kit provided with Ventura is fine for most people,
but those with special requirements may want to buy a slightly
different version from SoftCraft. This version of Fontware uses the
same technology as the version of Fontware that is bundled with
Ventura but has several extra features. Unlike the bundled version
of Fontware, SoftCraft's version can generate obliqued versions of
fonts, i.e., fonts uniformly slanted at a specified angle. Another
advantage of tq.e ~oftCraft version is that it provides a wider selection of character sets, including USASCII, ECMA, UK, French, German, Italian, Spaqish, Swedish/Finnish, Danish/Norwegian, Legal,
SoftCraft, IBM PC, HP Roman-8, HP Roman Extension, Windows/ANSI, Ventura International, HP IBM PC, and HP IBM PC
Extension. Last but not least, the SoftCraft Fontware Program can
create larger fonts than the bundled version of the program - up
to 240 points.

453

Chapter 22: Font Tools

In selecting which character set to generate, you can refer to
complete tables of characters in the back of the FontWare documentation. For example, if you want true typographic quotation
marks, you should avoid the Roman-8 or IBM PC sets.
SoftCraft's Fontware does not install the fonts it generates into
Ventura. For that, you'll need SoftCraft's WYSIfonts program (described below), which also takes care of Microsoft Windows installation .

• Storage Requirements
The amount of storage required for various fonts is shown in
Table 22-1 on the next page. Notice how storage increases much
faster than the point size. For example, the amount of storage
needed for a 12-point font is about two times as much as for a
6-point font, for a 24-point font it is eight times as much, for a
48-point font it is 29 times as much, and for a 72-point font it is 64
times as much. Fortunately, FontSpace, the font compresssion
program profiled later in this chapter, is able to compress large
fonts to a greater degree than small fonts - as much as 97 or 98
percent.

Figure 22-2:

SoftCraft's version
ofPontware
provides a larger
number of character sets than the
version bundled
with Ventura, including character
sets for a number
of European languages.

Soft Craft Fontware Installation PrograM UERSION 1.3
Copyright(C)1987 SoftCraft.Inc. Portions(C)BitstreaM
FONT FORMAT: HP 2PORT
SCREEN FONTS(h.v): NONE

RESOLUTION(h. v): 3BB.3BB
OBLIQUE ANGLE: B. BO

.i'U':mMijM.;W
KERN FILES: NO

Press ENTER to choose the highlighted SYMbol set. Use the t, J., PgUp.
PgDn, HOMe. or End keys on the keypad to choose another SYMbol set.

454

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip 2 2 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Limiting Character Sets for
Headline Fonts
Generally, large fonts are used for titles and headlines and hence
do not require special characters. So, to save the amount of
storage needed, you should choose W US or USASCII, the character sets with the smallest number of elements. Ifyou frequently use
large fonts, look into SoftCraft's Fontware and HP's Type Director.
Both allow you to create character sets containing just the characters you need and thereby drastically reduce the amount of
storage space needed for the font.

Font Storage Requirements
(Kilobytes)
VP International
Character Set

VP US
Character Set

6-pt Dutch

12

7

12-pt Dutch

29

16

24-pt Dutch

94

49

48-pt Dutch

344

184

72-pt Dutch

764

405

Font

Table 22-1

455

Chapter 22: Font Tools

• Installation
Once you've generated a font, you'll still need to download it to
the printer and install it for Ventura. For a step-by-step explanation of this process, see Chapter 21, "Adding New Fonts."

Profik-----------------------------------------

Type Director
Type Director is Hewlett-Packard's answer to Bitstream's Fontware. While the program had a lot of early promise and included
several features not found in Fontware, it was hobbled by the fact
that the Compugraphic fonts it generates simply don't look as
good as Bitstream's. Now Fontware has improved but the inferior
fonts generated by Type Director have not. Verdict: stick with
Fontware. Besides, it's free!

Profik-----------------------------------------

MoreFonts
MoreFonts is a very versatile program. You read earlier in this

Figure 22-3: As
shown here, with
Type Director you
can either select a
standard symbol
set such as Ventura International
or Ventura US, or
else define your
own custom symbol set. Custom sets
are especially useful for generating
large headline
fonts.

HAKE FOHTS
Highllght a sYMbol set, then press EHTER to save your selection.

HAKE FOHT SETUP [TDFOU==========~1II1
fPC: PC-8
Active Appllcatlon: Xerox Uentura Publisher
PD: PC-8 DH
Typeface
Point Sizes
PI1: PC-8SB
CG Ti"e5
12
LG: Legal
UI: Uentura International
UU: Uentura US
UI1: Uentura Hath
DT: DeskTop
UN: Uindo"s
TS: PS Text
118: l1ath-8
I1S: PS Hath
PI: Pi Font
Z:
Reduced sIJMbo 1 set
I
ESTIttATED SPACE REQUIRED 1SK

456

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

chapter about how it can generate printer and screen fonts on the
fly for Ventura under Windows, but it can also generate bitmapped screen and printer fonts and install them into Ventura for
GEM.

MoreFonts has two big advantages: First, it creates dazzling special effects fonts; and second, the fonts themselves are very good
and reasonably priced - you can purchase their entire line of 26
packages for about $300.
MoreFonts is also a good value because it supports on-the-fly
fonts under Windows, WordPerfect, and Microsoft Word, as well
as the bitmapped fonts and special effects for Ventura.

Projik-----------------------------------------

z-Soft SoftType
Another interesting alternative is SoftType from Z-Soft, the PC
Paintbrush people. Although this is a Windows program, I include
it in this section because it does not generate fonts on-the-fly like
ATM, FaceLift, or SuperPrint. SoftType does, however, offer a
great deal of convenience. Remarkably, it manages to run in the
background under Windows, even on a slow 286 with Windows
2.1, so you can be generating downloadable printer or screen
fonts without having to stop everything and go to lunch.
SoftType comes with 29 different typefaces (62 when you count
each weight) from URW. While these typefaces aren't as good as
those from Bitstream or Adobe, the entire package costs the same
thing as one of the Adobe's type packages (or one of Bitstream's
Collections). It's even a good deal if you only use the eleven
display faces. SoftType can also generate fonts from Z-Soft's Publisher's Type Foundry outline format.
Not content with merely generating fonts, SoftType also enables
you to create custom special effects, and displays them (using the
generic Sans typeface) in real time so you can see how effective
the effect is going to be.

Chapter 22: Font Tools

457

SoftType can generate fonts for the LaserJet including compressed
(not scalable) bitmaps for the LaserJet III, PostScript Type 3 (nonencrypted), Publisher's Type Foundry scalable outlines, and PC
Paintbrush bitmapped fonts. It can automatically generate Windows screen fonts and Ventura screen fonts at the same time.
SoftType also installs the fonts for both Windows and Ventura.
One thing to remember: SoftType does not create fonts on the fly
ala ATM or SuperPrint.

Font Editors
Type is the Achilles' heel of any laser printer. You might spend
hundreds of dollars assembling a collection of fonts and then find
that it is useless because it lacks a character you need, such as the
trademark symbol, the ballot box symbol, or true typographic
quotation marks (ones that open and close).
Basically, a font is nothing more than a collection of one or two
hundred pictures, each assigned a numerical code. A font editor is
a software tool that lets you blow up individual characters on
your computer display and change or replace them. In the past,
font -editing software tended to be so difficult to use that few
people took advantage of it. Now the programs are getting easier
and more powerful, though they still require some dedication to
master.
Here are some of the things one might do with a font -editing
program:
• Add your corporate logo to an existing font. For example,
you could replace a little-used keyboard character such as or A with the logo. Using the revised font, you could insert
the logo into a document simply by typing that character.
• Add typographic characters such as true quotation marks or
the registered trademark symbol to a font (such as any of

458

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

the Hewlett-Packard fonts that use the ASCII character set)
that lacks these elements.
• Add dingbats - special symbols such as the pointing hand
frequently used in advertisements - to an existing font.
• Create an entirely new font for a non-European language.
• Design a new typeface.
As you can see, the tasks that might be attempted with a font-editing program range from simple tasks, like adding a single new
character for an existing font, to complex projects, like creating an
entirely new font from scratch.

Profik------------------------------------------

Publisher's Type Foundry
This extremely powerful program has two modules. One lets you
work with outline fonts, which can then be used on PostScript
printers. The other works with bitmapped fonts, which can then
be used on PCL LaserJets. The remarkable thing is that it lets you
move things back and forth between the two.
Figure 22-4:

Publishers Type
Foundry has two
modules, one for
bitmaps, the other
for outlines. You
can operate the
Bitmap Editor and
the Outline Editor
in tandem by
having them open
in adjacent windows and moving
characters back
and forth from
one to the other.

Chapter 22: Font Tools

459

In order to be usable with all types of laser printers, a font editor
must be a switch-hitter. Printers that incorporate the PostScript
page description language work with characters stored in outline
format, i.e., as scalable mathematic descriptions. Other printers,
including the LaserJet, work with characters stored as bitmaps,
i.e., as stored patterns of dots that cannot be scaled .

• Switch-hitting
While previous font editors have been available on the PC, all
have worked exclusively with bitmapped fonts. Type Foundry is
new in that it lets you work with either outlines or bitmaps.
Surprisingly, the Bitmap Editor and the Outline Editor actually are
best used in tandem, whether your final product happens to be a
bitmap font or an outline font.
This pooling of talents is the most interesting feature of Type
Foundry. For example, you might start in the Outline Editor drawing outlines of the characters you wish to add to a font, then
switch to the Bitmap Editor for final cleanup. Alternatively, you
might start by scanning in characters from paper, load them into
the Bitmap Editor, automatically generate outlines, resize these
outlines, then transfer them back to the Bitmap Editor for cleanup .

• Windows Interface
Whether you start with the Bitmap or the Outline Editor, the basic
interface is similar. On the upper left are your drawing tools, on
the lower left a scroll bar from which you select your font. On top
are the menus. Most of the screen is devoted to a drawing area. If
this area is not enough for your character, you can use scroll bars
on the right and on the bottom. Because this is a Windows application, you can have more than one application open at a time,
and the design of the program makes it feasible to have both the
Outline Editor and the Bitmap Editor on the screen side-by-side.
In the simple case of altering a single character in an existing font,
you begin by loading that font into the program. Most laser print-

460

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

er font formats are acceptable, including those sold by Bitstream
and by the numerous third-party vendors that specialize in LaserJet fonts. The major exception is the PostScript fonts from Adobe
Systems, which use a proprietary format. As with all other procedures in Type Foundry, loading a new font is done from a menu.
Once a font is loaded, the characters it comprises can be seen in
a scroll bar on the left side of the screen. Clicking on one of these
with the mouse causes the character to appear, enlarged, in the
work area, where it can be altered using various drawing tools .

• Editing Tools
With the Bitmap Editor, those tools include a straight-line drawing
tool, a freehand drawing tool, a tool for drawing blocks, a fill tool
that pours pixels into any enclosed area, a tool for drawing polygons, a cut and paste tool, a tape measure, and a zoom feature.
With the Outline Editor, the tools are a line-drawing tool, a tool
for drawing Bezier curves, a tool for changing the shape of other
tools, a tool for selecting sections of the font, a tool for dividing
one curve into two separate curves, a tool for moving parts of the
font, a tape measure, and a zoom view.
Like many crafts, that of creating laser printer fonts combines
some art and some attention to technical nuts and bolts. Using the
graphics tools is the fun part of Type Foundry. The knuckle-skinning part comes in determining technical parameters, such as font
spacing and position, that make a font internally consistent and
that allow it to be identified and used in the laser printer.

• Technicalities
For dealing with the technical side of things, Type Foundry provides several dialog boxes. In the Font Description dialog box,
you classify your font according to family, weight, character set,
point size, and the resolution of your laser printer. In the Font
Parameters dialog box, you specify the standard character pixel
height, the numerical encoding of the font, the vertical space to
be stored with the font, the maximum pixel width of the font, etc.

Chapter 22: Font Tools

461

Finally, a Global Changes dialog box allows you to apply scaling,
slanting, and rotating uniformly to all characters in a font.
Collectively, the various obscure font manipulations possible with
these dialog boxes amount to a large degree of power. It's a
mixed blessing, because with this many options, you'll probably
find that mastering Type Foundry is an even greater challenge
than mastering Ventura. Fortunately, Type Foundry provides not
only sheer font manipulation power but also some clever touches.
One such innovation is the tape measure, with which you can
quickly measure not only horizontal and vertical distances in your
work area but also any diagonal distance. Another is the "Gadget
Box," a set of tools for flipping, rotating, stretching, and scaling a
character. A third is the "Gravity" feature of the Constraints Menu,
which allows you to precisely connect line and curve segments.
As a well-conceived Windows application, Type Foundry should
slide smoothly into your font toolbox .

•:.

Special Effects
Where would George Lucas be without special effects? Probably
still eating at Taco Bell (not Rancho Nicasio). That's not to say
there's anything wrong with Taco Bell, but special effects can
make the difference between something being ordinary and extraordinary' much like the difference between fast food and nouvelle cuisine.
Man does not live by Times Roman alone (or even Helvetica).
While special typographic effects can easily be overused, they can
also give a publication a special identity, or draw attention to
important information. If you look at the printed material all
around you, you'll rarely see effects other than outline, shadow
fonts, or gray type. These are the simplest, most popular, and
perhaps the most effective effects, but certainly not the only ones.
Others include stripes, checkerboard squares, air-brush, pattern
fills, slanting, and rotation. You can also shrink, stretch, reverse,
or slant a font.

462
.:.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Draw Programs
If all you want is a single fancy headline or running head, the
fastest, easiest, most accurate way to produc~t is by using a draw
program, such as Ardine, Corel Draw, Designer, or Arts & Letters.
These programs allow you to interactively create special effects,
then export the results to a CGM or GEM file which will print as
sharp as any font.

• Black Turning Gray Over You
If you have a PostScript or LaserMaster printer (or LaserJet III
printer with the VPUG driver), then you can easily create gray
type from inside Ventura. All you do is tag the text and select a
color from the Font dialog box in the Paragraph menu. Then go
into the Define Colors dialog box and change the setting for
Screen Display from Color to Shades of Gray. If you have a color
display you may see a difference, if you have a monochrome
display you may not. But when you go to print you should see the
results.
If the shade of gray is too dark or too light, you can adjust it in the
Define Colors menu.

Profik----------------------------------------fontART
Quark can do it. PageMaker can do it. Ventura can't do it. What is
it? Compress and expand typefaces. But you can do it with
fontART.
fontART allows PostScript users to manipulate their fonts visually,
using a simple program with pull-down menus. The program can
use any Type 1 fonts, and even retrieve fonts from your PostScript
printer. You see the actual font change as you apply the special
effects.

Chapter 22: Font Tools

463

Once you have the effect you were after, fontART will create a
new WID table for DOS/GEM or Windows Ventura.
fontART can perform the following effects: Baseline rotation of
fonts up to 180 degrees, character rotation, slanting forward or
backward up to 89 degrees, outlining, filling fonts with any shade
of gray, filling fonts with fountain fills starting and ending at any
percentage of gray, up to five levels of drop shadows with different effects for each shadow, and strokes around characters.
Finally, the program gives you the ability to shrink, expand, or
scale drop shadows in any combination.
In addition to fontART, Creative Software also has a whole slew of
utility programs in the works. Among these is 321, a font converter that changes PostScript Type 3 and Type 2 fonts into Type
1 fonts.

The program was still in beta testing as this was being written, but
is was scheduled for release early in 1991. Call Creative Software
for details. (For access information, see Appendix A, "Resources. ''J

Profik---------------------------------------Font Effects
Font Effects is a tool for under $100 that permits a LaserJet to print
the sort of fonts you'd usually expect to see only from a PostScript
printer. It can take any LaserJet-compatible font and add shadows,
create outlines, stripe them, and fill them with gray or checkered
patterns. With Font Effects, you can create unlimited special effects on fonts, and they all appear razor sharp.
Let's say you need a font with narrow characters - a "condensed" font. You don't have to buy another font. You simply use
Font Effects to make the old font half as wide. Font Effects can
enlarge or reduce fonts proportionally, so where you once only
had a 30-point font, you can have a 60-point font. The jagged
edges often associated with resizing bitmapped fonts are not a

464

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

problem because of a remarkable "Fillet" function that fills in
rough edges.
But we're not through yet. Font Effects gives you inverted or
reverse fonts which print white on black. Although white type on
a black background is harder to read than black on white, it can
also attract attention and add visual interest to a page. Font Effects
will reverse most type up to 24 points in size.
Want outline fonts? You got 'em. While outline fonts aren't best for
general use, they can make good headlines, and are useful for
creating "standing heads" - the ones above a regular column or
editorial feature. These fonts can enhance the graphic appearance
of a page, but I would not suggest having too many outline fonts
on a page, because they can be hard to read.
Font Effects does another trick I like: it creates "gray" letters, with
the gray ranging from a smooth medium tone to a very coarse
checkerboard light gray. You can even combine any of these special effects, creating narrow, outline, shadow, slanted, 22-point
fonts if you want. There's no limit to the number of times you can
change a font. The process itself takes anywhere from about one
minute, for smaller fonts, to as much as 10 minutes, for resizing
and filleting large fonts. The fonts created by Font Effects work
Figure 22-5: With

Font Effects, you
can create your
own special effects
by specifying
parameters for
shading, obliquing, etc., or you
can choose from
this list of
((precooked" effects.

Chapter 22: Font Tools

465

with any software that uses normal LaserJet Plus downloadable
fonts. Ventura Publisher used almost all the new fonts flawlessly,
although some fonts, notably the extremely slanted ones (90
degrees), didn't quite work right. Once again, Ventura doesn't
have a specific font selection for outline or gray fonts, so you
need to assign another name to them. I called the inverse fonts
"bold-italic," or gave them entirely new names when creating the
VFM files.
Font Effects provides fifteen different ways to modify type, all of
which can be combined in endless variations. The effects include
outlining, filling with patterns (stripes and checkerboard squares),
contouring (also called "inline," where a white line is formed just
inside the outside edge of characters), shades of gray, shadows,
drop shadows, reverses, widening, narrowing, emboldening,
slanting, and filleting.
While the sheer number of variables can be intimidating, fourteen
standard effects are included, and even if you never create a
custom effect, the standard ones are quite dazzling and more than
adequate for most applications. I'd like to see more standard
variations, but even with the few it has, Font Effects is admirable.
LaserJet users will also appreciate the ability to create reverse
fonts (white type on a black background), something LaserJet
printers cannot do on their own.
If you do want to design your own effects, they can be saved and
reused over and over again on different fonts. A preview feature
allows you to see on-screen what your effects will look like. Currently the feature works with CGA, EGA, or Hercules graphics
only.
Font Effects is a great way to enhance the type you already own
and create distinctive fonts for logos, banners, advertisements,
stationery, report covers - anything where big, flashy type is appropriate.
Like all SoftCraft manuals, this one is clear, well written, and
created with SoftCraft's own products. A tutorial has step-by-step

466

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

jfane!,

-=un

&Lylish

Clean

Strong
~~~~»
.': :f i~:. .\ . ~: :": : : ~:~" ...:. . : : : : :. . I':~:'<" ': .• • ''1b ":~:;I
'~~~'" :;.:f.f.:~ .:!-~::( '~$~*:.: ~:~::~':" ":~~::::~. $.:::.~:~. .~:.:.:.~::~:~. \:':~'S" ~::::$~'
.~;~:: :::~$' •.::.,... \~~~ll~.:. '.:.:.:.'. \·~~l~~:::::::::·:· .: :. ':' ....:.:.;:. . . ):~...... ..:~:.~~~~:... '..'.

'~'~~~"

Light
Bold
Figure 22-6: A sample of the special effects possible with the LaserMaster.

Chapter 22: Font Tools

467

examples, and the fourteen standard variations can also be used
as starting points for new effects. The menu-driven program is
logically designed and clear, making it easier to fathom the
program's depths. To ease installation with Ventura, and to provide screen fonts complete with special effects, see WYSlfonts!
(below).

Profik----------------------------------------LaserMaster SPecial Effects
LaserMaster printers and controllers offer high-speed, high-resolution output (this book was printed on a LaserMaster LMIOOO
Plain-Paper Typesetter). But above and beyond their speed and
resolution, they also offer special effects.
With the LaserMaster's driver for Ventura Publisher, each of the
seven colors listed in the font menu can invoke a different LaserMaster type effect. You can specify the effects you want for each
color. Effects include outline; fill with a gray tone or pattern; print
type at any angle including upside-down or backwards; or multiple effects combined. The Ventura driver also makes it possible to
print text in unlimited point sizes, going above and beyond the
normal 256-point ceiling.
You can also apply special fill patterns to frames, including any of
the standard GEM patterns, or you can design a custom pattern.
For more about the LaserMaster, see Chapter 4, "Printers."

Other Font Tools
The following programs provide a couple of additional functions
to make your font life easier: installing fonts and compressing
them on your hard disk.

468

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Projik-----------------------------------------

WYS/fontsl
Installing fonts can be one of the most mystifying tasks a desktop
publisher can face. Many people think you need only copy the
fonts to the hard disk and Ventura will magically know they're
there. In a perfect world, that's how it would be, but then again,
in a perfect world we'd all be supplied free 386's with our nationalized health care cards. One utility that can help smooth the
process is WYSlfonts!, which works with any HP-compatible
downloadable font.
All too often what you get is not really what you see. What's a
LaserJet owner to do? Fight back, with WYSIfonts! Not only does
this program create width tables, it can also create on-screen fonts
for any - yes, any - HP-compatible downloadable font. Screen
fonts have long been the missing link in PC desktop publishing.
Bitstream has solved that problem for Fontware users. But what if
you have fonts from another manufacturer and want to see them
on-screen? WYSIfonts! is the only way. The program also proves
useful if you have purchased LaserJet soft fonts that don't have
associated width tables. In that case, WYSIfonts! can generate the
width tables and install the fonts for Ventura (as well as for Windows and PageMaker).
Figure 22-7: The
main WYSJfonts!
menu. Here you
specify the location and names of
the printerfonts
for which you
want to generate
screen fonts. Alternatively, you can
use the program to
install fonts
without generating screen fonts.

Wl'SIfonts!
VIP verSIon 1. 0
Font Installatlon for Ventura Publlsher
Copyright (C) 1987 So£tCrcd t.. Inc.
Act! on:

Install

Orientation:

Font Directory:
C:'MU

Portrait

Screen Fonts:
ON
Extension:
• EGA
Auto Bold:
ON
Screen Font Size: Min 19pt. Max 3&pt.
Resolution' Horiz 91/399
Vert 72/399
Kern Tables:

Auto

Uidth Table:

NEUFONTS.UID

II

OK

II

CANCEL

II

CONFIG

II
II
II

.r

CH119IPN. USP
CH119RPN.SFP
CH119RPN. USP
CH149XPN. USP
KR119IPN. USP
KR119RPN. USP

M'iftAi'iW.jj

TAG ALL
Ventura Directory:

D: ,VENTURA
UnTAG ALL

Printer:

HP Series II

Dutch NorMal
12 point
Font.s tc\99pd wIth 'J' wi 11 b[J i nst all ed.
Us£> t he Mouse or cursor keys to
h 1 ~lhll'lh l a fon l.
CllcK left Mou",e but ton Or pre,",,, ~ to tUrn • J' OFF or ON.

Chapter 22: Font Tools

469

Figure 22-8: It's not necessary to have a screen font to match every printer font

you install in your system, but having screen fonts for unusual printer fonts
such as this one make it easier to format text and peiform kerning.

The program is all menu-driven. You can even use a mouse if
you're that keyboard-phobic. The program first creates screen
fonts (which can take as long as 20 minutes for large sizes) and
then creates width tables for Ventura. Once you're in Ventura, the
fonts appear on-screen and you will be instantly spoiled. Fonts
over 14 points look excellent on-screen, but smaller sizes can get
mushy.
The only trick to installing fonts with WYSIfonts! is making sure
they are named correctly. Some programs ask you lots of questions about each font to make sure they're installed correctly, but
WYSIfonts! relies solely on the name of the font. The first two
letters tell the name of the font, and let WYSlfonts! know the
correct font number to use. Palatino, for example, is "PA." Next
comes the font size. (Anything under 100 points must have \~,O on
the end of it. For instance, 18 points is listed as 180). Then c~fl:1es
the weight of the font: R for regular (a throwback to HP's own
strange way of naming fonts), B for bold, I for italics, and X or T\
for bold italics. Once the fonts are named correctly, WYSlfonts! \
can make a width table for 12 fonts in about two minutes. Even

470

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

though the font naming can be tedious, it's easier than programs
that require you to look up font names and numbers in the Ventura manual. WYSIfonts! worked with every HP-compatible soft
font I tried, even PI fonts.
One warning about Ventura screen fonts: as explained in Chapter
21, "Adding New Fonts," Ventura can handle a lot, but only so
many before it starts to complain. Make screen fonts only for the
fonts you most need to see on-screen. Ventura will not use screen
fonts smaller than 10 points or larger than 35K (about 72 points),
and will scale existing fonts to fit these sizes. For the utmost speed
and the best on-screen appearance, Ventura prefers to scale
screen fonts in even increments. For example, an 1S-point font
can be quickly doubled to 36 points. When you go to Enlarged
view, a 36-point screen font is used for 18-point type. In Reduced
View, 36-point type is represented with 1S-point screen fonts. If
the exact sizes are not available, Ventura will scale screen fonts. If
you've installed a 30-point screen font for a headline, and your
10-point body text is the same typestyle, Ventura will try to scale
the body text, too. Ventura will reduce the 30-point screen font to
10-point for the body text, which takes a long time and doesn't
look good. So if you're going to use a screen font for a typeface,
make it in all the sizes you will use regularly, not just one.

Profik---------------------------------------FontSpace
LaserJet fonts take tons of disk space. It's not unusual to have 4 to
12 megabytes of fonts on your hard disk. But now there's an easy,
efficient way to save 50 to 75 percent of the space you use for
hard disks. It's called FontSpace, and in about 10 minutes your
fonts will take less than half the space they did before.
FontSpace is a memory-resident program that automatically decompresses fonts as they are downloaded to the printer. It does
this with such speed that you don't notice any performance loss,
and it works with all programs - Ventura, WordPerfect, Win-

Chapter 22: Font Tools

471

dows. They (and you) don't even know it's there. Be assured that
there is absolutely no loss of font quality.
For very large fonts the reduction may be as much as 98 percent;
for fonts in the 8- to 12- point range, the reduction is about 55
percent. In one test, 12 megabytes of fonts became 4 megabytes.
That means the program instantly freed 8 megabytes of hard disk
space. The program is completely automatic. During the installation process, it searches your hard disk for fonts, and compresses
them. If you use Fontware or other font generation programs,
FontSpace will automatically compress these fonts as they are
being generated. FontSpace even compresses automatically as
you copy bitmapped fonts from a floppy to your hard disk.
If you have EMS, FontSpace takes a mere 3K of DOS memory,
and 18K of EMS. If you don't, it takes 22K of DOS memory. The
program is the personification of transparent and only takes 65K
of disk space. If you use a LaserJet and have lots of fonts, buy this
program. You'll wish you had it years ago.

SECTION

SIX

Special Topics

Speed Tips
Although Ventura is a fast program to begin with, you may want
to make it even faster. This chapter is intended as a miscellany of
tips for getting better speed performance out of the program .

•:.

Disk Caching
Try this experiment. Load Ventura with a blank chapter. Switch to
tagging mode. You'll notice that the hard disk light flashes. Switch
to a different mode and the light blinks again. What's happening
is that all the program information Ventura needs cannot fit in
RAM and still leave room for documents, so the program stores
some of that information on the hard disk and accesses it frequently. Disk reads are many times slower than accessing information from RAM. For this reason, a disk-caching utility is a perfect complement to Ventura. If you're using Windows Ventura,

476

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

then you automatically are using a disk-caching program, Microsoft's SmartDrive. If you're using the DOS/GEM version, Table
23-1 lists a number of the leading disk-caching programs.
Here's how disk caching works. The disk-caching program intercepts blocks of data that are frequently read from the hard disk or
written to the hard disk and stores them in a RAM buffer. At the
beginning of your computer session, there is no speedup since
the first blocks of data must be accessed, as usual, from the hard
disk. However, after your computer session has gone on for a
while the improvement caused by the disk-caching program will
become quite noticeable. The advantage of a disk-caching program over a RAM disk is that with the caching program you don't
have to decide which files to store in RAM - the program does
this automatically.

Table 23-1: Disk-Caching Utilities
Flash

Super PC-Kwlk

Software Masters
6352 N. Guilford Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46220
317/253-8088

Multisoft Corporation
15100 S.W. Koll Parkway, Suite L
Beaverton, OR 97006
503/644-5644

Lightning
Personal Computer Support Group
4540 Beltway Dr.
Dallas, TX 75244
800/544-4699, 214/351-0564
Vcache

Golden Bow Systems
2870 5th Ave. #201
San Diego, CA 92103
800/284-3269, 619/298-9349

PC Tools Deluxe

Central Point Software
15220 N.W. Greenbrier Pkwy.
Suite 200
Beaverton, OR 97006
503/690-8090

Chapter 23: Speed Tips

477

Since DOS/GEM Ventura needs nearly all 640K of a system's conventional memory to function effectively, you should configure
the cache program to place the cache in extended or expanded
memory, rather than in conventional memory. Extended memory
refers to memory installed on your computer above and beyond
the 640K recognized by DOS. Expanded memory, also called EMS
(in reference to the Lotus-Intel-Microsoft Expanded Memory Standard) memory, must be installed on a memory add-in board that
meets a particular standard formulated by Lotus, Intel, Microsoft,
and others. Alternatively, on a 386 computer, utilities available
from QuarterDeck and others can convert extended memory into
EMS memory.
Even when a disk-caching program sets up its cache in extended
or EMS memory, it still consumes some of the 640K of conventional memory. Obviously, it makes sense to use a disk-caching
program that requires as little conventional memory overhead as
possible. Table 26-1 in Chapter 26, "Memory Limitations and Solutions," shows how much conventional memory is used by various
disk-caching programs.
Once you've set up a disk cache and loaded Ventura, you'll notice
the difference almost immediately. The time needed for scrolling,
moving between reduced and expanded mode, paging through a
document, and other functions is cut by 50 percent or more.
Loading Ventura (not the first time, but each subsequent time) is
also speeded up.
As you might guess, an additional benefit of using a disk-caching
utility is that it spares your hard disk from constant read/write
operations and therefore probably increases the life of your hard
disk.

Tip 2 3 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Adjusting Buffers for Screen Fonts
This is a repeat from Chapter 21, but it's a useful one that is
pertinent here as well.

If you're using screen fonts, make sure

478

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

that the buffers statement in your CONFIG.syS file is set to 30. For
optimum performance, you can even experiment with setting the
buffers as high as 50. 1/you're using a disk-caching utility, however, you should always set the buffers to 3 or 4.

Tip 2 3 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

What's the Best DiskCaching Utility?
In talking with other Ventura users, the disk cache most often
mentioned as "the best" is Super PC-Kwik. That word-of-mouth
recommendation was recently supported by tests in PC Magazine,
which showed that Super PC-Kwik was the fastest disk cache in
the group it surveyed, as well as the one offering the most features
and the one capable of taking up the smallest amount of conventional memory overhead. Vcache rated a close second; Flash and
PolyBoostII also earned high grades. Lowest on PC Magazine's
report card were IBMCache, Mace Utilities, and SmartDrive.

Tip 2 3 - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Before You Run out and Buy a
Disk-Caching Program...
You may already own a disk-caching program and not know it.
For example, if you have Microsoft Windows, you've already got
SmartDrive. IBM supplies IBM-Cache with all its Micro Channel
PS/2 computers, and Compaq supplies Compaq Disk-Caching
Utility with all its hard-disk computers. PC Tools also includes a
disk cache, as does the Mace Utilities package, though the latter is
reported to be fairly slow.

Chapter 23: Speed Tips

479

Tip 2 3 - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Optimizing Your Disk Cache and
Your Spooler
If you have both extended and expanded memory, use the expanded memory for disk caching and the extended memory for
print spooling (not the other way around). The reason is that
disk-caching programs run about 20 to 30 percent faster in expanded memory, while print spoolers run about the same speed
either way.

•:.

PrintCache
Although PostScript printers make fantastic looking pages, they
can waste an incredible amount of time by tying up your printer
for 15 or 20 minutes while a chapter prints out. Fortunately, you
don't have to put up with that kind of performance. The first way
to speed up printing is to download your fonts at the beginning
of each work session (see below). The second is to use PrintCache (previously called LaserTORQ). PrintCache is a print
spooler, i.e., a program that intercepts data on the way to the
printer and then stores it in a memory reservoir, alloWing you to
immediately get back to work with Ventura while it feeds the
print data to the printer. Documents don't get printed any faster
with PrintCache, but at least the computer isn't tied up while the
printer takes its time. Since PostScript printers are the slowest,
they're the ones to benefit most from PrintCache, but in fact the
program can be used with any laser printer. For more details on
PrintCache, see Chapter 25, "Printing Tips."

Tip 2 3 - 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Optimizing PrintCache
To get the best performance from PrintCache with a PostScript
printer, it's important that you always download your fonts to the
printer at the beginning of your work session. (Procedures for

480

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

downloading fonts are explained in Chapter 20, UUsing Fonts. ''J
For some reason, this speeds up PrintCache considerably. See for
yourself!

.:.

Downloading Fonts
If you're like most Ventura users, you probably print out part or all
of a document several times during a work session. Unfortunately,
every time the print command is issued, Ventura laboriously copies (or downloads) the same fonts to the laser printer's memory.
You can shortcut this redundancy by downloading all the fonts
you need for the day and then turning off Ventura's automatic
downloading. For details, see Chapter 20, "Using Fonts."

.:.

Consolidating Your Hard Disk
DOS is something of a digital squirreL If it can't store that latest
program or document in one neat continuous block, it breaks the
file up and stuffs pieces into any free space on the disk. Unfortunately, when you need the file - be it a Ventura overlay or a
frequently used chapter - the hard disk's read/write heads can't
suck it up in one sweep, but must poke around the disk. Disk
optimizers, which reunite scattered file fragments, can cut the
delays and minimize hard disk wear and tear.
One indication that disk optimizing is needed is if the hard disk
light flashes rapidly when you load a program; every blink means
that another portion of the disk is being searched. Diagnostic
routines typically found in disk optimizers can provide more detailed information, in the form of disk maps and statistical reports
showing the degree of fragmentation.
As with disk-caching utilities, there's a universe of disk optimizers
to choose from. Programs such as DS Optimize, Disk Optimizer
from Softlogic Solutions, Disk OrGanizer (DOG) in the public
domain, Speed Disk from the Norton Utilities Advanced Edition,
and Condense from the Mace Utilities can consolidate disk files in

481

Chapter 23: Speed Tips

a matter of minutes without disturbing copy-protected or hidden
system files.
Running a disk optimizer like Speed Disk is simplicity itself. At the
DOS prompt, type SD n:, where n: is the drive you want tidied
up. Speed Disk takes about 20 minutes to rearrange the files on a
nearly full 20MB disk, graphically illustrating its progress along
the way.
To wrest the most from this speed tip, look for disk optimizers
like DS Optimize that allow you to specify the order in which
coalesced files should appear on the disk. For maximum performance, install DOS first, then Ventura .

•:.

Avoiding Spill Files
When you are working with pictures or text files that exceed the
RAM available to Ventura for holding such files, the program
creates a "spill file" on the hard disk (also referred to as "swapping out"). When this happens, Ventura's performance slows

Table 23-2: Disk-Optimizing Utilities
os Optimize

Mace Utilities

Design Software
1275 W. Roosevelt Rd.
West Chicago, IL 60185
301/231-4540

Paul Mace Software, Inc.
400 Williamson Way
Ashland, OR 97520
800/523-0258, 503/488-2322

The Norton Utilities

Disk Optimizer

Peter Norton Computing, Inc.
2210 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
213/453-2361

SoftLogic Solutions
520 Chestnut Street
Manchester, NH 03101
800/272-9900

482

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

down considerably, since the program must continually access
the disk for information.
The simplest way to avoid spill files is to free up RAM. The first
step is to eliminate any memory-resident utilities. Other steps are
suggested in Chapter 26, "Memory Limitations and Solutions."
If you've freed up all the RAM you can, and still find yourself
plagued by spill files, the next step is to install a RAM disk and
direct Ventura to use it to catch the spill files that would otherwise
be written to the hard disk. You can use any RAM disk program to
set up the RAM disk. The best bargain is a utility called VDISK that
is included on your DOS disk. To set up a 300K RAM disk in
extended memory, simply place the statement
DEVICE a VDISK. SYS

in the system's CONFIG.syS file. You'll also need to add lOaD: at
the end of your VP.BAT file (assuming your RAM drive has been
set up as drive D). For example,
DRVRMRGR VP %1
ISaSD_BERCS.EGA/Ma ll/0a D:

.:.

Parallel Printer Interface
With many printers, including the HP LaserJet and most PostScript
printers, you have the option of using a serial or a parallel interface. If you currently are making the connection with a serial
interface, you'll find that performance improves greatly once you
switch to a parallel interface. The difference in speed is especially
noticeable for pages that include multiple fonts or graphics .

•:.

Faster Screen Fonts
One of the biggest factors affecting Ventura's speed is the time it
takes for the program to redraw the screen. If you're currently
using VGA fonts, you can speed up redraw speed by switching to
EGA fonts. The result is less readable text, but many people find
that faster performance is worth it. To find out if you're currently

Chapter 23: Speed Tips

483

using VGA fonts, select Set Printer Info from the Options menu.
Check the extension listed next to the words Screen Fonts. If it
says VGA, the next step is to quit Ventura and check your \ VENTURA directory to see if EGA screen fonts are present. (If a large
number of files with the EGA extension are present, those are the
screen font files.) If EGA screen fonts are not in the \ VENTURA
directory, you'll need to do the following:
• Save your VP.BAT or VPPROF.BAT file under a new name
(by renaming it to VP.BAK or VPPROF.BAK).
• Reinstall Ventura for an EGA monitor.
• Erase the new VP.BAT or VPPROF.BAT file created by the
installation procedure.
• Restore your original batch file (by renaming VP.BAK or VPPROF.BAK back to VP.BAT or VPPROF.BAT).
• Load Ventura, select Set Printer Info from the Options menu,
and change the letters VGA to EGA .

•:.

Speeding up the Display with the IF Switch
Unless you specify otherwise, Ventura sets up a buffer of 68K for
holding the screen fonts used on the current page. If you have
enough extra memory to do so, you can increase the speed of
screen redraws by increasing the size of the screen font buffer.
This is especially helpful if you are working with a display that
has several fonts, such as the Ventura Scoop document located in
the \ TYPESET directory.
To check whether you have enough extra memory to enlarge
your screen font buffer, open the diagnostics box in the desk
menu (see Chapter 26, "Memory Limitations and Solutions," for a
description of how to do that). Next to "External Memory in Use"
you'll see two numbers. The number on the left shows how much
is currently in use; the number on the right shows how much is
available. The amount available (i.e., the number on the right) is
the number to pay attention to. If it's slightly over lOOK, you
shouldn't change the screen font buffer, since Ventura will not

484

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

load unless at least lOOK of external memory is available. By
increasing the screen font buffer, you'll be reducing the amount of
available external memory.
Assuming at least 115K of external memory is available, you can
use the IF switch to increase the size of the screen font buffer.
Using a text editor or your word processor in unformatted mode,
add IF=k at the end of your VP.BAT or VPPROF.BAT file, where k
is the amount of memory you wish to allot to the screen buffer,
expressed in kilobytes. Start with a fairly conservative setting,
such as 88. This increases the screen font buffer from 68K to 88K.
If you have enough extra memory, try experimenting with larger
settings for the IF switch. Depending on your system, you may be
able to go as high as 160K or so.
How much does a larger screen font buffer speed up Ventura? It
depends on whether you are already using a disk cache, on the
type of document your are creating, and on what view you are in.
On a normal document with a disk cache being used, a higher IF
setting does not make a discernable difference. On a system with
no disk cache, a 128K setting reduced the redraw time of the
Ventura Scoop page by 42 percent in Reduced View and by 15
percent in Normal View .

•:.

Greeking Text
Greeking refers to the technique of representing areas of text on
the screen with horizontal lines, a method that reduces the time it
takes for the program to draw the screen. In Ventura, it applies
only to Reduced and Facing Pages views. Under the Set Preferences selection of the Options menu, the settings for greeked text
range from None to All. Note that the numbers 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 don't
refer to the point sizes of the text that is to be greeked, but rather
the pixel height of characters as shown on the screen. For example, if you select 10, then all characters 10 pixels in height or
small~r are greeked. Usually, when you are working in Reduced
or Facing Pages views, you're looking at the layout of the page

Chapter 23: Speed Tips

485

and not at the text itself, so greeking your text makes a lot of
sense .

•:.

Selecting a Fast Double-Click Speed
Interestingly enough, increasing the double click speed not only
makes mouse operations faster but also speeds up operations
when you use keyboard alternatives to the mouse, such as pressing the Enter key instead of pressing OK. The reason is that even
if you don't use the mouse itself, Ventura still waits the duration of
the two clicks before it executes a command .

•:.

Tagging in Text Editing Mode
(Windows Version)
A surprising feature of the Windows version is that you can access
all your tags without switching from text editing to tagging mode.
Simply place the text cursor anywhere in a block of text, then
click on the tag name in the list of tags. Naturally, it works even
better if you drag the little window containing this list right on top
of the document you are working on.

•:.

Multiple-Paragraph Tagging
In tagging mode: Hold down the Shift key while clicking on all
the paragraphs (they need not be adjacent). Then select the tag.
In text editing mode: Drag the mouse across all the paragraphs
and pressing the desired function key .

•:.

Move the Toolbox
(Windows Version)
The toolbox is the window that shows the various mode icons
and graphics tools. Since you often have to switch from one mode

486

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

to another just before you pull down a menu option, the best
place to locate this window is right under the middle of the menu
line .

•:.

Use the Alt Key Shortcuts
(Windows Version)
The Windows version of Ventura is actual less dependent on the
mouse than the DOS/GEM version. Every option of every menu
can be accessed in a couple of keystrokes. Notice that one letter
of every menu title is underlined. To open that menu, hold down
the Alt key while you press that letter. Then press one of the
letters underlined within that menu to open a dialog box. Even
within dialog boxes, every option can be selected with a letter.

•:.

Use the Macro Recorder
(Windows Version)
To really make the keyboard options of the Windows version pay
off, learn how to use the Windows 3 Macro Recorder. It looks like
a movie camera and is located in the Accessories group. You may
find the Macro Recorder hard to get used to at first, but keep
trying - it's definitely worth the effort. One tip is to go into the
Options menu of the Macro Recorder, select Preferences, and select the Ignore Mouse option. The point is that you're going to use
the Macro Recorder to combine long strings of keystrokes into a
smaller keystroke combination, so mouse movements are unnecessary and only get in the way.
An example of a useful macro is Alt-Shift-J, which changes a tag
to justified alignment. Before creating the macro, switch to tagging mode and select a paragraph. Next, press Alt-Tab until you're
back in the Program Manager. Open the Accessories group and
click twice on the Macro Recorder icon. From the Options menu,
select Preferences and turn on the Ignore Mouse option. Select
OK. Now open the Macro menu and select Record. Fill in the

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Chapter 23: Speed Tips

description of the macro and set up the key combination, in this
case Alt-Shift-J. Then select Start, which will put you back into
Ventura.
You're now ready to record the keystrokes of the macro. The last
key combination, Ctrl-Break, ends the macro:

Alt

P

A

Alt-A

L

CuI-Break

Likewise, you can set up related macros:
• Alt-Shift-C (changes a tag to centered)
• Alt-Shift-J (changes a tag to justified)

.:.

Avoiding On-Screen Kerning
The effect of on-screen kerning is to give you some feedback on
the appearance of lines of text when automatic kerning is in
effect; however, performing the kerning slows Ventura down
slightly. Even with a high-resolution monitor, on-screen kerning is
not sufficiently precise to be worth much for regular text; it only
makes sense for titles and headlines. Therefore, you're best off
selecting only the largest point sizes for on-screen kerning, or
simply specifying no on-screen kerning in the Set· Preferences
dialog box. Note that turning off automatic on-screen kerning
does not affect your ability to use Ventura's manual kerning or to
see the results of manual kerning onscreen .

•:.

Keyboard Shortcuts
A table of keyboard shortcuts is provided in Chapter 8, "Preparing, Loading, and Editing Text." Some of the most useful of these
are:
• Pressing Enter instead of selecting OK with the mouse.
• Saving with Ctrl-S.
• Pressing Esc to redraw the screen.
• Using Ins, Del, and Shift-Insert to insert, delete, and copy.

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• Using Ctrl-F and Ctrl-L for fill and line attributes.
• Using Ctrl-Shift-[ for left quotation marks and Ctrl-Shift-] for
right quotation marks.
• Using Ctrl-Shift-M for Em spaces and Ctrl-Shift-N for En
spaces .

•:.

Ctrl-X
Everyone should paint the Ctrl key and the X key with Day-Glo
paint so they can practice this maneuver during a power outage.
Pressing Ctrl-X brings up the most recently accessed menu, a
great shortcut when you're experimenting with different values
for line spacing or In From Left. In the DOS/GEM version, Ctrl-X
also acts as a keyboard shortcut for clicking on the Cancel button
to get out of a dialog box. In the Windows version, pressing Esc
jumps you out of the current dialog box.

Tip 2 3 - 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Quicker Exits with Cancel
If you are in a dialog box and decide not to make any changes,
you can either press OK or Cancel to get back to your page.
Cancel is faster, because when you select OK the screen redraws
itself completely, but when you press Cancel the screen does not
redraw. Note: In the DOS/GEM version the shortcut for clicking
on Cancel is Ctrl-X. In the Windows version the shortcut for
clicking on Cancel is Esc. In both versions the shortcut for clicking OK is Enter.

•:.

The Backup Box
(DOS/GEM Version)
To change the filter on the Directory line, it's quicker and more
accurate to use the Backup Box than to the erase the line and

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489

then type a new one. The use of the Backup Box is explained in
Chapter 7, "Managing Files."

.:.

Mouse Tips
When you select file names from lists, it's much quicker to
double-click on a name than to click once to highlight the name
and then select OK. For even faster mouse operations, get hold of
Mickey, a utility that lets you use the right button of your mouse
to select OK. It's profiled in Chapter 27, "Utilities."

.:.

Pretagging Text
It's faster to tag your text files with a keyboard macro program
such as SuperKey than to use Ventura's Tagging mode. The pretagging method is described in Chapter 8, "Preparing, Loading,
and Editing Text."

.:.

Using the Esc Key to Clear Lines
(DOS/GEM Version)
In dialog boxes, rather than backspacing across a line you wish to
erase, you can place the cursor anywhere on the line and press
Esc. Unfortunately, this doesn't work in the Windows version .

•:.

Hiding Pictures
Redrawing pictures when the page is scrolled or frames are
moved is one of the biggest slowdowns in Ventura. To avoid this
bottleneck, select Hide Pictures from the Options menu (DOS/
GEM version) or the Edit menu (Windows version). You have the
option of either hiding a single picture or hiding all the pictures in
your chapter. You can also tell Ventura to hide pictures when you

print drafts of a document. That can save significant amounts of
time, especially when you are printing large bitmapped graphics

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

such as scanned images. Unfortunately, hidden pictures print as
solid black boxes, a waste of toner.

•:.

Using the Shift Key
When using a graphic tool several times, hold down the Shift key
to avoid having to reselect the tool each time you use it. Holding
down the Shift key while selecting paragraphs in Tagging mode
also allows you to select multiple paragraphs to tag at once .

•:.

Storing Graphic Defaults
Generally it is the case that when you are using the graphic tools
you will be creating more than one object with the same characteristics. Rather th~n going through the process of selecting Line
and Fill Attributes each time you create a graphic, use the Save To
option to create default settings that you can use over and over.

•:.

Faster Hyphenation
If you've been using the faster of the two hyphenation algorithms
and then switch to the slower but more accurate one, you'll notice
immediately how much longer it takes to load a chapter. For
example, the following is a comparison of the time required to
load a typical chapter:
No hyphenation: 18 seconds
USENGLSH algorithm: 22 seconds
USENGLS2 algorithm: 96 seconds
As you can see, USENGLS2 is over four times slower than USENGLSH, though also significantly better in finding hyphenation
points and avoiding incorrect breaks.

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491

I recommend that you keep both the USENGLSH and the USENGLS2 algorithm in your \ VENTURA directory. To keep track of
which is which, rename them both so that USENGLSH is called
FAST and USENGLS2 is called SLOW. One of them should be
given the extension HYI and the other the extension BAK. This
will cause Ventura to use the one with HYI and ignore the other.
Unless you're producing multilingual documents and really must
have two hyphenation algorithms installed at the same time, it's
never a good idea to keep two hyphenation algorithms active as
HYI and HY2, since Ventura will load them both into RAM and
you will have less memory available for holding text and pictures.
Probably the best way to work is to have the FAST algorithm
active as FAST.HYI while you're first setting up a document, then
rename it to FAST.BAK and rename SLOW.BAK to SLOW.HYI
when you get into the late stages with a document. Changing file
names like this is better than trying to turn off hyphenation on a
tag-by-tag basis .

•:.

Math Coprocessor?
Since Ventura does not use floating-point arithmetic, it has no
need for the 8087 or the 80287 math coprocessor. Having that
chip installed in your computer will not enhance the program's
performance .

•:.

Loading a Chapter with the Program
With the DOS/GEM version, you can speed up the getting-started
process by typing the path and name of the chapter you are
working on at the command line, like this:
VP C:\BOOKDOCS\CHAPTER1.CHP
If you frequently work on the same document, you can even
make the change in the batch file that you use to load Ventura.

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

With the Windows version, you can do same thing. With the
Ventura icon highlighted, select Properties from the File menu.
Then add the path and name of your file at the end of the existing
startup information in the Command Line box. (Don't worry that
the box won't fit everything you need to type. Once you start
typing, the existing text in the Command Line box will automatically move over to make room for more text .

•:.

Pre-loading the PostScript Prologu
DOS/GEM version: Each time it prints a file on a PostScript
printer, DOS/GEM Ventura transmits a prologue, PS2.PRE, containing various PostScript definitions. Windows does the same
thing, though it calls it the PostScript header. With the DOS/GEM
version, you can save time by downloading the file PERMVP.PS
each time you turn on the printer and deleting or renaming
PS2.PRE from the \ VENTURA directory. To download the file, use
the DOS Copy command, naming your printer port as the destination. For example, if your printer is on LPTl, type
COpy PERMVP. PS LPT 1 :

The location of PERMVP.PS is on the \ POSTSCPT directory of the
Utility disk. Eliminating the need for Ventura to transmit the
PS2.PRE prologue shaves about 10 seconds off the time required
to print a chapter. Remember to restore PS2.PRE to the \ VENTURA directory before you create print files for use on other printers or typesetters.

Windows version: With the Windows version, select Printer
Setup from the File menu, then click on Options. Click on the
Header box and select OK for Send Header to Printer. Having
transmitted the header, you can now go back into the Options
dialog box and click on Header Already Downloaded option.

Safety Tips
.:.

Backing Up
Pull down the Options menu (DOS/GEM version) or the Edit
menu (Windows version), select Preferences, and activate the
Back Up Copy option. This way, if you accidentally save a file
with changes you don't want, the previously saved version of that
file original will still be intact, renamed with a "$" in the file name.
This gives you one more chance to save a style sheet you might
have changed by accident, and it can save the day should you
encounter a computer error. You have to set this feature only one
time, and Ventura will remember it.

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

RenanllngS~leSheem
The fastest way to get started using Ventura is to revise either the
style sheets supplied with the program or those you buy from
designers, rather than creating new ones from scratch. Unfortunately, the quickest way to wreck havoc is to alter the tags in a
style sheet that is also used in a different chapter. You can avoid
"Style Sheet Shock" by making the folloWing procedure a habit.
Before revising an existing style sheet for use with a different
chapter, rename the style sheet. This will keep you from changing
a style sheet used in another chapter. Make it a practice to rename
your style sheet as soon as you open the new chapter, using the
Save as New Style option in the File menu. If you don't save your
style sheet under a new name right away when you start working
on a chapter, it's easy to forget and to save the chapter with the
altered style sheet, which can radically change other chapters that
go along with it.

.:.

Renanllng Text Files
This also applies to text files you might use in more than one
Ventura chapter. Unless you specifically want the same ·file used
in many chapters, use the File Type/Rename command under the
Edit menu (DOS/GEM version) or the Frame menu (Windows
version) to rename text files you use in more than one chapter.
This will prevent accidental changes to your original files. In addition to renaming the text file, you can also use this command to
change a text file from one word processor format to another and
to move it into a new subdirectory .

•:.

Saving
Save often. Ctrl-S is all you need to remember. My rule of thumb
is to think about how much I could stand to lose should the
power go off. My threshold for having to redo lost computer work

Chapter 24: Safety Tips

495

is about ten minutes, so I save every ten minutes. It's saved me
countless times.

Tip 2 4 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Save Before Printing
One especially important time to save is right before printing a
document. Printing is the stage in creating a document where
the prag.ram is most likely to freeze since it is easy to accidentally
select the wrong printer or the wrong printer port, or to forget to
turn on the printer. Theoretically, Ventura ought to be able to
cope with any of these errors without freezing, but in practice this
is where trouble most often occurs.

•:.

Using Abandon
If you don't like what you've done, you can always use the Abandon option under the File menu to bail out. Ventura lacks an
undo feature, but if you save often enough, you can use _Abandon
like undo. Abandoning a file doesn't mean you erase it from the
disk - it means you ignore all the changes you've made since the
last time you saved, restoring the file to its previous state. You can
simply abandon any embarrassing, horrifying, or simply unwanted changes and get the original file back. The more often
you save, the less you lose when you make a wrong move and
then choose to abandon the file .

•:.

Creating Separate Directories
If you are working with a long or complex publication, create a
subdirectory just for that publication. This way you will have all
the files important to that project in one place, making it more
difficult to aCcidently delete, rename, move, or change them. With
the DOS/GEM version, you can create a subdirectory from inside
Ventura by using the DOS File Ops choice from the File menu. If

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

you're using the Windows version, press Alt-Tab or Ctrl-Esc to
cycle back to the Windows Program Manager, then use the File
Manager to create a new subdirectory for your publication .

•:.

Backing up to Floppies or Tape
Back up often onto floppies or onto a streaming tape drive. Use
the Multi-Chapter feature, VPToolbox, Corel Vpcopy, or a good
backup program to archive the Ventura files onto floppies or tape.
Don't wait and learn the hard way, one day finding that the hard
disk no longer works and all your valuable files are gone. Use
Ventura's handy feature to copy all the files related to the chapter
to a safe place. Follow the same guidelines you use for saving the
chapters. If you can stand to redo a week's worth of work, backup once a week.

.:.

Limiting Chapter Size
Even though its feasible to have longer chapters, you should usually keep your chapters under 40 pages. Ventura can easily handle
files larger than that, but when the chapters get too big, the program may begin swapping out to the hard disk, which slows
things down considerably and makes Ventura more prone to
crash. Because of Ventura's publication options, you can easily
create tables of contents and indexes from many chapters, so it
isn't necessary to cram everything into one file. Remember:
shorter chapters are faster and safer.

•:.

Saving Old Width Tables
When you buy new fonts, don't immediately merge your new
width table in with your old. First save your current width table
under a new name. Then merge your new width table with your
newly renamed file. I've had some width tables from font manufacturers that didn't merge correctly, and they ended up ruining
my main width table. Now I always save first under a new name.

Chapter 24: Safety Tips

497

Once I've tested the width table by printing out a page with some
old fonts and some new fonts, I can save this new width table
using my original width file name .

•:.

Organizing Font Fnes
If you use many different fonts, be careful about how you keep
track of them. This is easier said than done, as fonts (especially
those from FontWare) tend to have cryptic names. If you're constantly adding and removing fonts from your ever-bulging hard
disk, losing track of what files you currently have on the disk
means wasted time printing out pages only to find Courier substituted for the font you wanted. Here's one way to keep track.
First, print an inventory of your .SFP and .SFL files by pressing
Ctrl-P at the DOS prompt and then typing DIR *. SFP. Next,
press Ctrl-P again to turn off printing. Now type:
DIR *. SFP SFP. DOC
This creates a list of all your SFP files and puts it in a file called
SFP.DOC.

If you have a hard disk management program such as XTREE or
Window DOS, you can read your font files. Near the beginning of
the file (surrounded by what will appear to be garbage) will often
be the name of the font. Make a note of the fonts you aren't sure
of. Use your word processing program to type the font name next
to the file name in SFP.DOC. Print out this list, and update it
whenever you add or remove fonts from your disk.

.:.

Responding to the "Internal System Error!"
Message
One of the most dreaded messages is "Internal System Error!
(number) 1. Note what you just did & Error #.2. Save your work.
3. Call & Report to Tech. Support." The reason this message
appears is that RAM memory may have been corrupted. Your job
is to get out of the situation as smoothly as possible without

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

losing any of your current or previous work - in other words,
you want to quit Ventura, but you also want to avoid damaging
the chapter you've been working on. To have the best shot at
accomplishing all these goals, here's the procedure to follow:
• From the Options menu, select Set Preferences and make
sure that Keep Backup Files is set at Yes.
• From the File menu, select Save As and save your chapter
under a new name.
• Quit Ventura.
• Reboot your computer.
• Load Ventura again.
• Load the version of the chapter you saved under a new
name with Save As. If it's not damaged, you're OK and can
continue working on it.
• If the chapter is damaged, quit Ventura again and locate the
backup version of the chapter. It will have the original name
and will use the extension $HP. Use the DOS Rename command to change the extension to CHP. Then load Ventura
and open the chapter.

Printing Tips
One of the strengths of today's laser printers is that they are capable of serving three distinct purposes:
• For proofing a document before sending it for final output
on a high-resolution PostScript imagesetter.
• For creating camera-ready masters, suitable for reproduction
on a copying machine or with an offset printer.
• For creating final copies directly.
Whichever way you use your printer, the techrtiqes described in
this chapter can speed up printing and improve the quality of
your output. Some of these are also described in greater detail in
other portions of this book, especially Chapter 4, "Laser Printers,"
and Chapter 23, "Speed Tips."

500

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Imagesetter Prootlng
Since Ventura drives PostScript imagesetters, it is possible to use a
laser printer for proofing a document before having it typeset.
First, install Ventura for both your laser printer and for PostScript.
For example, if you're using a Laser]et II, install for LaserJet II and
PostScript. If you've already installed for the LaserJet but not for
PostScript, simply insert Disk #1, type VPPREP, and when Ventura
asks you if this is your first time installing the program, say No.
When it asks you what printer you wish to use, say PostScript.
When it asks if you want to use any other printers, say No. (Since
you've already installed the program for the Laser]et II, the fonts
and width table are already in place.)
Having installed Ventura for both LaserJet and PostScript, you
proof documents for the Linotronic by printing to the LaserJet but
selecting the PostScript width table. In the Options menu, select
Set Printer Info. Click on the Laser]et Plus option, then click on
Load Different Font Width and select PostScript. Ventura will now
print on the LaserJet with regular LaserJet fonts, but the letter
spacing will be governed by the PostScript width table. Word and
letter spacing within each line won't look very good, because of
differences between LaserJet and PostScript fonts, but line endings and word breaks will be the same as when you ultimately
print on the Linotronic .

•:.

Printer Intensity Control
It never fails. Improve something new and there are always those

who say they liked the unimproved version better. That's the way
it is with the Canon engines. While I find the newer SX engines
better in every way, there are those who claim that text printed
lighter and sharper on the old CX engines.
I have a feeling that these people don't know the secret of the
little green knob. Sounds like a Nancy Drew story, doesn't it? But
it's not the least bit mysterious, once you know it's there.

Chapter 25: Printing Tips

501

The old Canon engines had a light/dark control on the outside of
the printer. The new SX engines have the light/dark control inside
the printer, a place where many fear to tread.
But it's easy - so easy in fact that even an adult can do it. Press
the big button on the top of the printer and the top will pop up.
If you look straight down into the printer, the Light/Dark control
(usually a green wheel) is located in the left front corner. This
wheel will probably be set at 5, which is medium; 9 is very light,
and 1 is very dark. While 5 may be too dark for detailed fonts, it's
fine for many applications.
Most typesetting fonts look best at 8 or 9, because the lightness
makes them look sharper. At 9, type will be as light and sharp as
it ever was with a CX engine. But sometimes when the type is
sharper, jagged edges are more obvious. Setting the printer on 3
or 1 causes extra toner to be used. This toner melts around the
edges, filling in the jagged edges, but it also makes the type look
heavier.
Generally, if you are going to use laser-printed pages as originals,
you want to set your printer to medium. Setting the printer to light
also has an additional plus, as it saves toner and makes your
printer cartridge last longer. The only negative is that blacks will
not be as dark and solid, and while this is fine for reproduction, it
may not look the best on originals.
If you are going to use your pages "camera ready" for photocopying or offset printing, you want them to be light, probably 8 or 9.
The fact that blacks aren't quite solid at this intensity doesn't
matter, because the photocopying or offset printing process will
render them as solid, dark black.

.:.

The Collating Trap
One of the options in the Ventura print menu is "Collating Copies." If you're printing multiple copies of a document, it seems
obvious that you'd want to turn this option on and avoid having

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

to collate your document by hand. Note, however, that printing is
significantly slower with collating turned on than with collating
turned off. You may be better off simply printing the document
with automatic collating turned off, and then collating the document yourself by hand .

•:.

Crop Marks
Crop marks are the source of some confusion. When you print on
a laser printer, which uses 81/2- by II-inch paper, you won't get
any crop marks unless you change the size of the base page frame
(using the Sizing & Scaling menu) to something smaller than 81/2
by 11 inches. However, if you print on a Linotronic, you will get
crop marks even if you've left your base page at 81/2 by 11. The
reason you get crop marks on the Linotronic is that its paper is
wider than 81/2 inches.
If you don't want to change the size of the base page but still want
to have crop marks, you can draw them on the first page of your
chapter using Ventura's drawing tools, then make them repeating
graphics .

•:.

Registration Marks
Since Ventura won't automatically put crop marks on regular letter-sized paper unless you reduce the size of the base page, how
do you provide the print shop with the registration marks it
needs?
As it turns out, if you're producing letter-sized documents, most
printers don't need crop marks at all four corners. What they do
need is a "registration mark," a mark that is located in the same
position on every page of the document. This provides the person
operating the camera at the print shop with a constant reference
point.

Chapter 25: Printing Tips

503

Here's a simple way to make such a mark. Go into graphics mode
and set the grid to Ij2 inch both vertically and horizontally. Now
move your cursor to the upper left comer of the page, and draw
a I-inch square box. Make it a repeating box so that it appears on
every page of your chapter in exactly the same position.
When you print out the document, most of the box will not appear, due to the unprintable zone of the laser printer. The only
part of your box that will appear is the lower right corner, providing the camera operator with a registration mark. When the print
shop strips your negatives (i.e., tapes them together onto multiple-page flats), they will hide the registration marks so that they
won't actually print on the final document.

.:.

Decreasing the Size of Print Files
If you've ever printed a document to disk (by selecting File as the
destination in the Printer Preferences dialog box), you may have
noticed that the resulting file is sometimes immense. For example,
I've seen a two-page document result in a 1MB print file. Gigantic
print files are undesirable for two reasons. First, they take a long
time to run out on a Linotronic. Second, they may make the print
file too large for even a 1.2MB floppy disk. The reason the print
file is so large is that it includes all the fonts needed for the
document.
The solution is to keep the fonts out of the print file. Using the
Add/Remove Fonts option, designate the fonts as Resident. That
tells Ventura that they're already in the printer and keeps Ventura
from downloading them. Then, when you go to get the document
typeset, tell the folks at the PostScript service bureau which fonts
are needed for your document. They'll take care of downloading
the fonts.

504
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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

A Penny Saved
If you use a PostScript printer, you can avoid wasting paper and
toner on the startup test page that gets printed every time you
turn on the machine. Simply pull out the paper tray before you
start up the printer. The printer will warm up as usual, skipping
the startup page. Then just push the paper tray back into the
printer.

•:.

Can You Trust Those Cheap Toner Refllls?
You've no doubt seen the ads in the computer magazines for
cheap toner refills. If you do a lot of printing, you can save a good
deal of money using these services. The question is, are you jeopardizing the well-being of your expensive laser printer by using a
refilled cartridge?
The answer is: probably not. For the past several years I've been
asking people if they know of a printer that's been damaged by a
toner refill. I've only heard of two instances. In one case, the
refilled toner cartridge cracked open and spilled toner inside the
printer. In another case, the toner itself was of poor quality and
ended up getting into the moving parts of the printer and fusing.
The "wrong way" to refill a toner cartridge is to drill a hole, pour
in more toner, and plug the hole. Don't use a refilled cartridge that
has a plug. Reputable toner refill companies disassemble and
clean the cartridge, add toner, and seal it up again. One thing you
may notice with a refilled cartridge is that the print is slightly
darker. The reason is that as the photosensitive drum inside the
cartridge ages, it becomes more sensitive and tends to print a
larger "spot."

Chapter 25: Printing Tips

505

ProJfue------------------------------------------PrintCache
If you've got a few extra bucks burning a hole in your pocket, the
best print spooler I've seen for desktop publishing is PrintCache
(formerly LaserTORQ). Not only is it fast, it doesn't take a lot of
computer time and slow you down. Other spoolers (even the one
in Windows) take so much computer time that even though
you're back to work, everything's moving at a snail's pace, which
kind of negates the whole purpose of a spooler.
PrintCache is specifically designed for PostScript or LaserJet (and
compatible) printers. Because it can receive data as much as 20
times faster than the laser printer, your program can send the file
to PrintCache as fast as it can, and PrintCache will dole it out to
the printer in the background while you go back to work in
Ventura.
While the subtitle of PrintCache is "The Printer Accelerator," it's
important to remember that print spoolers don't make the printer
print faster, they just let you get back to work faster. The actual
print time will be about the same as it was without PrintCache.
Even that is an accomplishment, however, as other printer spoolers can take twice as long to print a file. PrintCache takes only
19.4K of memory, an important consideration for most people
using memory-hungry Ventura.

• Torqing PostScript
The largest speed improvement comes with PostScript printers.
This is because PostScript printers can be slow in taking data they're busy figuring things out and making the computer wait.
PrintCache takes the data at top speed, and feeds it to the printer
when it's ready. And you don't have to wait.
Here's an example. I used Ventura to print a one-page file with a
60K bitmapped graphic to a PostScript printer using a parallel
interface. Ventura by itself took two and half minutes. Ventura

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

with PrintCache took only one minute, which meant that I went
back to work one and a half minutes sooner. That may not sound
like much, but it's a 150 percent improvement. Multiply that number by the number of times you print each day, and you'll see
how the time can add up. Print just ten times a day and you've
gained 15 minutes.
These speed improvements are even more dramatic if you use a
serial interface, because laser printers using a serial port can be so
agonizingly slow. Using a serial connection, the same Ventura file
tied up the computer for nine minutes without PrintCache, and
only one minute with it.
The same file printed to a LaserJet tied up Ventura for four minutes without PrintCache. With PrintCache, I was back at work in
two minutes, a 50 percent improvement.
PrintCache can create the buffer it needs in conventional memory
(not recommended, since Ventura needs all the memory it can
get), on a hard disk, in extended memory, or in expanded (EMS)
memory.
I have only one complaint about the product. When you press
ALT-T, a window pops up on the screen. It tells how large the
buffer is, how much data is currently in the buffer, what percentage of the buffer is filled, as well as the status of the printer
(Printing, Out-of-Paper, etc.) and, if you are printing to a LaserJet,
controls for optimization. This useful feature works only in text
mode, and won't pop up over graphics (except Hercules), which
makes it less than useful when you are working in Ventura. (For
access information on PrintCache, see the Utilities section of Appendix A, "Resources."

.:.

How to Print Full-Page Graphics
on a 5I2K LaserJet
At 300-dpi, it takes about one megabyte of printer memory to
print a full-page bitmapped graphic. That means on a standard

Chapter 25: Printing Tips

507

LaserJet Plus or LaserJet II with no additional memory, you're
limited to less than a half-page graphic image. Here's where PrintCache comes in handy again, with a feature called "Optimization," which can compress graphics so they take up to 60 percent
less space in the printer's memory. In my test, a graphics file that
overflowed the LaserJet's memory, printing on two pages instead
of one, printed perfectly when optimized. Full optimization takes
its toll in buffering speed, however, and even with spooling, the
file tied up the computer for three and a half minutes, the same
amount of time as unbuffered. Of course, it all printed out on one
page though, so it was worth the wait.
Also, optimization works only on graphics, not downloadable
fonts, so you will see less difference on desktop-published pages,
unless lots of graphics are involved. PostScript printers do not
require (and cannot use) optimization .

•:.

Speeding up Printing By Hiding Graphics
Graphics print a good deal more slowly than text, so Ventura
provides a new feature that lets you print quick drafts of a chapter
minus all or some of the illustrations. To hide the pictures, select
Hide Pictures from the Options menu (DOS/GEM version) or
from the View menu (Windows version) .

•:.

What Kind of Paper to Use
You've no doubt seen the ads for the special laser printer papers,
which supposedly provide superior quality when you are printing
master copies for reproduction. Actually, as explained in a recent
Publish magazine article, you'll do just as well if you simply use
regular 20-1b xerox paper with a smooth (not a slick) finish.

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Speeding up Printing By Downloading the
Postscript Prologue
Before it prints any PostScript file, DOS/GEM Ventura downloads
a PostScript prologue file. Windows calls this a header filesame thing. You can speed up printing by downloading a permanent version of this file at the beginning of your work session.
The procedure is explained in Chapter 23, "Speed Tips."

.:.

Printing on Unsupported Printers
Publisher's Powerpak is a utility that lets you use printers with
Ventura that aren't directly supported by the program. It combines
a font generator and an array of drivers for over 200 dot-matrix,
inkjet, bubblejet, and laser printers, most of which are not otherwise supported by Ventura. Its three typeface families match Helvetica, Times Roman, and Courier, and fonts can be any size from
6 to 250 points. (For access information on Publisher's Powerpak,
see Appendix A, "Resources.")

.:.

Saving Before Printing
Occasionally, when you tell Ventura to print your document, the
program will freeze up. This can happen if you forget to turn on
the printer or if you choose the wrong port. The solution is to get
in the habit of saving your document just before issuing the print
command. That way, even if Ventura crashes you won't lose any
work.

.:.

Wait for the Prompt
After you issue the print command, it's tempting to walk off and
fill up your coffee cup while Ventura sends the chapter to the
printer. However, if any of the pictures in your document are
hidden, Ventura will first ask you whether or not you want the

Chapter 25: Printing Tips

509

hidden pictures to print before it goes any further. If you wait too
long to respond one way or another, the printer may "time out"
and nothing will be printed. So make sure you wait for the "Print
hidden pictures?" query before you take a break.

Tip 2 4 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Press Enter An Extra Time
It's easy to tell Ventura to print and then to walk off for lunch,
forgetting to wait for the "Print hidden pictures?" query. Here's a
good trick to avoid this mistake. When you tell Ventura to print,
make it a habit to press Enter an extra time before walking away.
Ventura will remember the extra Enter, and if the "Print hidden
pictures?" query comes up, Ventura will interpret the Enter as an
OK.

•:.

Printing Oversized Pages on a Standard
Laser Printer
Many people are surprised to learn that Ventura can print pages
larger than 81f2 by 11. To do this, the program employs a technique called tiling, which means printing a page in overlapping
sections. To use tiling, all you have to do is select the 11- by
17-inch page size in the Page Size and Layout dialog box, accessed from the Chapter menu.
If you've selected that size for your paper, a dialog box will appear at print time giving you three options: shrink, overlap, and
nothing.
The shrink option only works with PostScript printers. It reduces
the size of your document to fit on 81f2- by II-inch paper, and is
useful for previewing pages and creating mockups.
The overlap option divides the page into overlapping "tiles." You
then paste or tape these together.

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Printing Mirror-Image (Wrong-Reading) Pages
Even though Ventura doesn't have an option for printing mirrorimage (wrong-reading) pages, you can do it with a PostScript
printer. The trick is in modifying Ventura's PostScript header, or
prologue, by adding a couple of lines of code.
If you just have one file to print wrong-reading, you can print the
PostScript to disk (choose PostScript and filename from the Set
Printer Info dialog box, print, and give Ventura a filename when it
prompts you), then edit the resulting PostScript file with a text
editor or word processor (as long as it will save straight text, sans
formatting gibberish).
Find the section near the top of the file that looks like this:
/GEMMATINI{/landscape ed /p3 ed /p2 ed /pI ed gr 72 300 div
exch div dup scale clippath pathbox exch / prx ed exch dup /ply
ed sub 1 add p3 sub 2 div ply add /ty ed dup prx exch sub 1 add
p2 sub 2 div add landscape {pI add} if ty translate landscape {90
rotate} if gs } bd
Add these two lines at the end, just before the "gs":
25500 translate
-1 1 scale
If you're printing landscape pages, use 3300 instead of 2550.
When you're done it should look like this (the line breaks don't
really matter):
/GEMMATINI{/landscape ed /p3 ed /p2 ed /pI ed gr 72 300 div
exch div dup scale clippath pathbox exch / prx ed exch dup /ply
ed sub 1 add p3 sub 2 div ply add /ty ed dup prx exch sub 1 add
p2 sub 2 div add landscape {pI add} if ty translate landscape {90
rotate} if
2550 0 translate

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Chapter 25: Printing Tips

-1 1 scale
gs} bd
You can set up an alternate PostScript header if you are planning
on printing mirrored pages on a regular basis. Make a copy of
PS2PRE (in the Ventura directory), name it something like
PS2MIRR.PS, and modify it as described above. You might set up
another copy for wrong-reading landscape printing. Make sure
your copies do not have the filename extension .PRE.
Whenever you want wrong-reading printouts, type the following
from the DOS prompt:
cd \ventura
rename PS2.PRE PS2.BAK
rename PS2MIRR.PS PS2.PRE
cd \
Or something to that effect. You get the idea you want to use should be named PS2.PRE.

the header file

Start Ventura and print as you normally would. When you want to
go back to normal printing, rename the files to the way they were.
If you get tired of all the DOS commands, write a little batch file
that will do all the renaming with a single command .

•:.

Printing Crop Marks on Standard-Sized Pages
As noted earlier in this chapter, Ventura doesn't normally print
crop marks on 81/2- by II-inch pages, but there's a way to trick
the program into doing so. First, select 11- by 17-inch paper as
your page size, from the Page Size and Layout dialog box under
the Chapter menu. Next, select the base page frame (by switching
to frame mode and clicking on the underlying page) and change
its dimensions to 8 1/2 by 11, using the Sizing & Scaling menu
under the Frame menu. Finally, select the overlap option when

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

you print. The page will be printed in four sections, complete
with crop marks.

Memory
Limitations and
Solutions
Because of the dynamic memory allocation capabilities of Windows 3.0, the Windows version of Ventura is much less prone to
being afflicted by a shortage of memory than the DOS/GEM version. In the DOS/GEM version, memory is a scarce resource in
Ventura, especially for those without an EMS (expanded memory)
board. With the support of EMS in the Professional Extension, the
memory shortage is much less severe. In fact, if you're using the
Professional Extension with EMS, you can usually stop worrying
about memory altogether.
The purpose of this chapter is to explain how Ventura allocates
memory and set forth some options to give yourself a bit more
working room and make the program run faster.

514
.:.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Overview
The 640K of RAM that can be directly addressed by DOS is often
referred to as "conventional memory." Ventura operates within
this block of memory. In certain circumstances, the program can
also make direct or indirect use of "expanded memory" and "extended memory." We'll discuss these in a little while, but let's start
by looking at the 640K of conventional memory.

• Overhead
Even before you load Ventura, some of that 640K is spoken for:
• Some conventional memory is used by DOS's COMMAND.COM file. With DOS 3.3, this amounts to about 25K.
• Some conventional memory is used by device drivers (for
the monitor, mouse, hard disk, etc.), which are automatically
loaded into memory each time your computer starts up. To
find out which device drivers are used by your system, type
TYPE \CONFIG.SYS

Drivers can be distinguished from other files because they
end in the extension SYS. In some cases your mouse driver
will be installed by your AUTOEXEC.BAT file rather than
your CONFIG.SYS file. If that is the case, there will be a line
in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file with the name MOUSE.COM
(or something similar).
• Some memory may be taken up by memory-resident programs (also called TSRs, for "terminate and stay resident").
Such programs may include SideKick or similar accessory
programs, screen-capture utilities like Hotshot, disk-caching
utilities, and print spoolers. As a general rule, it's recommended that you minimize your use of memory-resident
programs in order to leave an adequate amount of memory
free for Ventura. Of course, under some circumstances you'll
need to break that rule.
• Some memory may be taken up by your network-control
software, if your computer is on a network.

Chapter 26: Memory Limitations and Solutions

515

Let's assume you've just booted up your computer and have
loaded in all the memory-resident programs you normally use. To
find out how much memory is now left over for Ventura, type
CHKDSK
from the DOS command line. DOS will respond with something
like this:
19623936
100
81920
17653760
1888256

bytes
bytes
bytes
bytes
bytes

total disk space
in two hidden files
in 34 directories
in 624 user files
available on disk

655360 bytes total memory
589152 bytes free

The first five lines describe how storage is allocated on your hard
disk; the last two lines report on memory. The final line, which in
this example shows that 589K are free, is the most important one,
since it shows how much room is actually available to run Ventura.

np2~1----------------------------------

Using 16-Color VGA Monitors
Contrary to the warning that appears during the installation
procedure for Ventura (base version), you can use a 16-color
VGA monitor with the program. However, to do so, you'll have to
remove all other drivers and memory-resident programs from
your computer. Note that the drivers for VGA two-color monitors
and EGA two-color monitors use apprOXimately 10K less memory
than the drivers for 16-color monitors, so memory isn't as tight
with the two-color monitors.

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Figure 26-1: To

access the
diagnostics box,
select Publisher
Info from the Desk
menu and click
on the word
Ventura as shown
here.

Xerox Desktop Publishing Series:
Uentura Publisher Edition
Professional EHtension EMS-(SYS=1012 kb APP=976 kb)
Non-Network
J

J

Uersion 2.9 - (00/23/08)
Serial UUU-OOBOOa
Don Heiskell
Lee Jay Lorenzen
John 6rant
John tteger

Uentur.a
SoftwareJ'\lnc.

© Copyright Uentura Software Inc' 1986-1988
J

J

OK

Figure 26-2: The

diagnostics box.
Where there are
two numbers, the
number on the
right tells the
maximum
available, and the
number on the left
shows the amount
currently in use.
"HIMEM.SYS"

shows that the
FARCODE module
has been loaded
into high memory.

VENTURA PUBLISHER DIAGNOSTICS
Internal Me~ory
External Me~ory
EMS Me~ory
TeKt MeAor9
Paragraphs
Line Ele~ents

in
in
in
in
in
in

Use:
Use:
Use:
Use:
Use:
Use:

EKt. MeA. Swapped Out:
Text MeA. Swapped Out:
Width Table
Graphics Buffer
Screen Fonts
Hyphenation
Pern. Strings
FARCODE Overla9

4531 1
72120 1
49152 1
01

41
01

25BBB bytes
193976
999424
4996
1924 paras
1922 elenents

o
o

Size:
9126 b9tes
Size:
48BOO
Size:
68BOB
Size:
10257
Size:
1BBB7
Size: HIMEM.SYS

OK

Chapter 26: Memory Limitations and Solutions

517

• How Ventura Uses Memory
When Ventura is running, it uses memory for the following purposes:
• Storing the main Ventura program module, VP.APP (for the
base version) or VPPROF.APP (for the Professional Extension). These modules require 451K and 499K respectively.
• About 64K is reserved in a buffer for screen fonts.
• About 48K is reserved in a buffer for graphics.
In addition to the parts of Ventura that are always loaded into
memory, parts of tl].e program - called overlays - are kept on
the hard disk and loaded from the hard disk into memory as
needed. Ventura also uses the hard disk for storing other data that
is too large to be kept in RAM. Since retrieving or storing information on a hard disk is many times slower than retrieving information from RAM, the basic strategy for managing memory is to
minimize the program's need to access the hard disk.

.:.

The Diagnostics Box
An important tool for managing memory is Ventura's diagnostics
box, which is not documented in the program manual. To see the
diagnostics box, select Publisher Info in the Desk menu and then
click directly on the word Ventura in the box. (See Figures 26-1
and 26-2.)

• "Internal Memory in Use"
The number on the right side of the slash is the amount of RAM
reserved for internal program functions; the number on the left is
the amount actually in use. You can't change these numbers.

• "External Memory in Use"
The number on the right side of the slash represents the amount
of memory that is not in use for other purposes. For the base

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

version of DOS/GEM Ventura, it defines the maximum size of a
document that Ventura can work with in RAM. Exceeding this
amount will not prevent you from loading or working with a
document, but it will slow operations down considerably because
Ventura will resort to swapping to the hard disk. In the Professional Extension, the amount of external memory available does
not limit the size of documents, since documents are loaded into
EMS.

• "EMS Memory in Use"
The number on the right side of the slash shows the amount of
EMS memory available for Ventura to hold a document. The number on the left shows the amount currently being used. With the
base version, both numbers will always be 0, despite the fact that
the base version does load about 90K of system software into EMS
if EMS memory is available.

• "Text Memory in Use"
The number on the right shows how much Ventura has allocated
for holding the text portion of the current document; the number
on the left shows how much of that allocation is currently being
used.

• "Paragraphs in Use"
The number on the right shows the maximum number of paragraphs allowed in a document. The number on the left shows the
current number. Note: a paragraph is any block of text that ends
with an Enter.

• "Line Elements in Use"
The number to the right (normally 725) is the maximum number
of line elements that are allowed in the current frame. The number on the left is the number currently in the frame. Every line of
text counts as two line elements, and additional line elements are

Chapter 26: Memory Limitations and Solutions

519

used up by changes in type, tabs, and especially leader tabs (a
line containing a leader tab counts as six line elements). Note,
however, that the number of paragraph breaks does not affect the
number of line elements. If you have too many line elements in a
frame, you'll get the error message "This frame is too complex to
completely format." Steps that you can take to simplify a frame
are described below.

• "Ext Memory Swapped Out"
This is the amount of document information that exceeds the
available RAM and therefore has been written to the hard disk or
to a RAM disk. Swapping out significantly reduces Ventura's performance. If you are using the Professional Extension with EMS
memory, you rarely have to worry about swapping out, since the
entire document is automatically placed in EMS.

• "Text Memory Swapped Out"
This is the portion of the current document that is swapped out.

• "Width Table Size"
This is the amount of RAM taken up by the portion of the font
width table used by the screen display. It can be as little as lK
and as much as 35K, depending on how many fonts are installed.

• "Graphics Buffer Size"
This is the size of the picture file that Ventura can handle without
swapping out to the hard disk. The limitation applies most frequently to images, i.e., bitmapped graphics such as files with the
IMG extension. Cropping and moving bitmapped pictures will go
much faster if you keep the size of files smaller than the graphics
buffer. You can adjust the size of this buffer using the /A switch.
For more information, see the discussion below.

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• "Screen Fonts Size"
This is the amount of RAM reserved for storing the bitmaps used
by Ventura to display fonts on screen. If a screen font file exceeds
the size of this buffer, it can't be displayed on the screen. You can
adjust the size of this buffer using the IF or IA switch. For more
details, see the discussion below.

• "Hyphenation Size"
This is the amount of conventional memory that must be reserved
for applying hyphenation, generally about 10K. The actual hyphenation dictionaries are much larger, but don't reside in RAM at
all times.

• "Perm. Strings Size"
This is amount of RAM that must remain allocated at all times to
hold certain essential information such as error messages.

• "FARCODE Overlay Size"
The C compiler used in the development of Ventura allows program segments of up to 64K. FARCODE is program information
outside that limit, to which Ventura needs speedy access and
therefore keeps in RAM. This shows the size of the programs
stored as FARCODE. If you are using a memory manager such as
HIMEM.SYS or 386MAX , the FARCODE modules will be loaded in
high memory, as discussed below. In that case, the diagnostics
box will list HIMEM.syS here instead of the amount of memory
used by the FARCODE module .

•:.

Memory Management Options
There are at least eight specific measures that you can take to
enhance Ventura's use of memory. They are as follows:
• Install expanded memory.

Chapter 26: Memory Limitations and Solutions

521

• Use a RAM disk for spill files.
• Use disk caching, and select a disk cache that requires a
minimal amount of overhead in conventional memory.
• Adjust the BUFFERS= lines in your CONFIG.SYS file.
• Adjust the size of the screen fonts buffer. In many cases,
allocating more memory for screen fonts produces a noticeable improvement in performance.
• Adjust the size of the graphics buffer. Generally, this means
reducing the size of the buffer in order to provide more
memory for other purposes.
• Install HIMEM.SYS, a driver that is included with Microsoft
Windows. This frees up conventional memory for other purposes; however, it does not apply to computers with the
8086 chip.
• Install 386MAX , a utility program that makes more memory
available to Ventura by moving drivers and memory-resident
programs outside conventional memory .

• Extended and Expanded Memory
Memory in a computer beyond the 640K recognized by DOS is of
two types, extended and expanded. Expanded memory refers to
memory above 640K that is configured in accordance with the
Lotus-Intel-Microsoft Expanded Memory Specification, or LIM
EMS.
You can use any version of EMS numbered 3.0 or above. EMS
boards are made by a variety of vendors. You should look for one
that is expandable, so that you can increase its capacity by adding
more RAM chips when the current memory shortage slacks off
and prices come down. If you have a 386 computer, you won't
need to buy an EMS board, since most 386 computers provide a
utility that can convert any memory installed on the system above
640K into EMS. If for some reason you have a 386 computer that
lacks such a utility, get hold of 386MAX .

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Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

If you don't install the Professional Extension, EMS benefits you in
two ways:
• If EMS is present, Ventura moves up to 108K of system software into EMS, freeing up an equivalent amount of conventional memory.
• EMS can be used to for disk caches and print buffers.
If you do install the Professional Extension, EMS becomes even
more useful:
• First, Ventura moves up to 108K of system software into
EMS, freeing up an equivalent amount of conventional
memory.
• Second, Ventura uses EMS to handle documents too large or
complex to fit in conventional memory.
• Third, you can speed up Ventura by setting up a disk cache
and/or a print buffer in EMS.
• Fourth, Ventura uses EMS memory to hold the EDCO hyphenation dictionary that is provided with the program. The
dictionary takes up 1.2MB of EMS.
How much EMS do you need? If you are using the Professional
Extension, Xerox recommends that you have a minimum of 256K
of EMS in your system. If you don't plan on using the EDCO
hyphenation dictionary, a 1MB or 2MB cache should suffice. If
you plan on using the EDCO hyphenation dictionary, I recommend that you have at least 2.5MB of EMS memory in your computer. That breaks down to 1.2MB for the dictionary, 90K for
system software, 512K for a disk cache, and 512K for your document.
Extended memory can't serve as many purposes as EMS. It cannot
be used directly by either the base version or the Professional
Extension. However, it can be used for disk caches, RAM disks,
and print buffers. Most 386 computers come with software utilities
that let you configure extended memory as EMS memory. In addition, there are utilities such as 386MAX that can convert extended
memory to EMS memory.

Chapter 26: Memory Limitations and Solutions

523

If you have both EMS and extended memory in your computer,
use both. For example, you might use the extended memory for a
print buffer and use the EMS for Ventura, for a disk cache, and for
the ED CO hyphenation dictionary .

• Using a RAM Disk
If you have memory beyond 640K, you have the option of using
it for a RAM disk or for disk caching. Generally, it's preferable to
use disk caching, since this speeds up Ventura operations virtually
across the board. In contrast, a RAM disk only makes a difference
if you have documents that are too large to fit in memory. When
a document is too large to fit completely in memory, Ventura
creates an overflow file on the hard disk. By directing this overflow file to the RAM disk, you can speed up operations considerably. The procedure for using a RAM disk for spill files is described in Chapter 23, "Speed Tips."
Note that if you are using the Professional Extension and have
EMS memory on your computer, you don't have to worry about
overflow files, since Ventura automatically uses the EMS memory
to hold the document.

• Disk Caching
As explained in Chapter 23, "Speed Tips," using a disk cache is
probably the most important step you can take to make Ventura
run faster. Disk caches work by storing information in RAM that
otherwise would be accessed from the hard disk. Since RAM access is many times faster than hard disk access, the disk cache
speeds up the program. Disk caches can help almost any program, but they're especially useful with Ventura because the program is too large to fit into RAM all at once and therefore loads
pieces of itself - called "overlays" - as needed from the hard
disk.
Most disk caching utilities allow you to set up the cache in either
extended memory or EMS memory, and to specify the size of the

524

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

cache. If you have extended memory or EMS memory to spare, it's
desirable to set up a fairly large cache, say 512K to 1MB. To
manage the cache, the caching program does take up some conventional memory. Interestingly enough, caching programs vary
significantly in the amount of conventional memory overhead
they require, as shown in Table 26-1.

Conventional Memory Overhead for Disk
Caching Utilities (Kb)
CACHE PROGRAM

EXTENDED MEMORY

EXPANDED MEMORY

512K
Cache

1,024K
Cache

512K
Cache

1,024K
Cache

49

61

49

61

N/A

N/A

37

54

Super PC-Kwik 2.19

45

65

17

17

Vcache 3.1

21

29

20

28

Flash 5.33
Lightning 4.80

Table 26-1: The numbers in this table were derived by comparing the amount of memory
reported by CHKDSK before and after loading a disk caching program. It should be noted
that the numbers above are based on the default configuration for the cache. For some
caches, it is possible to decrease the amount of conventional memory overhead by changing
the parameters, though this will generally lead to reduced effectiveness of the cache in
speeding up Ventura. In PC Magazine's roundup of disk-caching programs (February 14,
1989), the minimum conventional memory overheads for a 512K cache in extended
memory were reported as follows: Flash 25K, Super PC-Kwik 16K, Vcache 20K, PC Tools
Deluxe 20K, Mace Utilities 10K, SMAR1Drive 14K, IBM-Cache 19K, and Compaq Disk
Caching Utility 16K. For a 512K cache in expanded memory, PC Magazine reported the
following minimum conventional memory overheads: Flash 25K, Super PC-Kwik 7K,
Vcache 19K, PC Tools Deluxe 16K, Mace Utilities 9K, SMAR1Drive 14K, and Compaq Disk
Caching Utility 8K.

Chapter 26: Memory Limitations and Solutions

525

• Adjusting Buffers in CONFIG.SYS
If you are using a disk-caching utility, you can reduce the amount
of RAM allocated for buffers in your CONFIG.SYS file. In the
absence of a disk-caching utility, Xerox recommends that you set
buffers equal to 20. However, when you are using a disk cache,
most of those buffers are redundant and the buffers line in CONFIG.SYS can be reduced to 3 or 4. Since each DOS buffer takes up
512 bytes of RAM, you'll save about SK.

• Disabling FASTOPEN
FASTOPEN is a program provided with DOS 3.3 and later versions. It speeds up file access by creating a small cache where it
stores the location of each file that you open. If you use a disk
cache, FASTOPEN won't speed anything up but will use up some
memory, so you're better off removing the FASTOPEN line from
your CONFIG.SYS file.

• Adjusting the Screen Fonts Buffer
By default, Ventura sets up a 6SK buffer for screen fonts. Usually,
this should be sufficient, but there are certain situations in which
you should increase the buffer:
• If you are using a large number of different fonts on a page.
• If you are using VGA rather than EGA screen fonts. In general, VGA screen fonts take up about twice as much memory as EGA fonts.
• If you are using large fonts, for which the screen font files
are larger than 6SK. If a screen font is too large for the buffer, Ventura will not be able to display it.
As described in Chapter 23, "Speed Tips," increasing the size of
the screen fonts buffer can reduce the time needed to refresh the
screen by 40 percent or more.
Although it's more likely that you'll need to increase the size of
the screen font buffer, there are some situations where you might

526

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

want to reduce it. For example, if Ventura refused to load because
not enough memory was free, setting the IF switch to 32 might
help.
To change the screen font buffer, use a text editor or a word
processor in plain ASCII mode to add IF=k at the end of VP.BAT
or VPPROF.BAT, where k is the number of bytes you wish to
allocate for the screen font buffer. For example, if you wanted to
change the size of the screen font buffer to 90K, and your VP.BAT
file is
CD C: \ VENTURA

DRVRMRGRVP%1/S=SD_WY705.EGA/M=11
then you should add IF=90 to change it to
CD C: \ VENTURA

DRVRMRGR VP%1/S=SD_WY70S.EGA/M=11/F=90

Of course, when you increase the size of the screen font buffer,
you have to give up memory somewhere else. If you set the IF
switch above 6SK, Ventura reduces the amount of memory available for the document. That means you won't be able to work
with as large a document as otherwise. If you have the Professional Extension, increasing the screen font buffer should have no
ill effects as long as the amount of external memory available is
well above lOOK. To find out the amount of available external
memory, check the right-hand figure next to External Memory in
Use in the diagnostics box.
Even changing the buffer slightly, such as from 6SK to SOK, can
make a difference in speed. According to Ventura Software, the
maximum is in the range of 12SK to 192K. (Note: don't use the IF
switch if you are also using the I A switch.)

• Adjusting the Graphics Buffer
The default for the graphics buffer is 4SK. That sets the upper
limit for the size of a graphic that can be included on a page
without the need to spill some of the data for that graphic onto
the hard disk. Whenever Ventura has to use a spill file, performance is seriously diminished because the program has to do

527

Chapter 26: Memory Limitations and Solutions

time-consuming reads from the hard disk every time it refreshes
the screen (such as when you move from one page to the next, or
when you press the Esc button).
If memory is tight on your computer - for example, if you're
having trouble getting Ventura to load - you can decrease the
graphics buffer to free up memory for other purposes. Note: you
can only reduce the graphics buffer, not increase it.
To reduce the size of the graphics buffer, add the following at the
end of the VP.BAT or VPPROF.BAT file:
/A=k

where k is an integer between 0 and 32 that specifies how much
memory to take away from the graphics and screen font buffers
(half is taken away from the graphics buffer and half from the
screen fonts buffer). Unfortunately, you can't reduce the size of
the graphics buffer without decreasing the size of the screen fonts
buffer by the same amount.
If you use 0 as the value for k, the screen fonts buffer will be
reduced by 16K but the graphics buffer won't be affected. Generally, however, if you want to adjust the size of the screen fonts
buffer, you should use the IF switch.
Here are a few final caveats about the I A switch:
• Don't use the IA switch if you're using the

IF switch.

• Some printers and graphics converters (such as JLaser) may
not work properly if you reduce the graphics buffer.

• Memory Magic with HIMEM.SYS (286 and 386
Computers Only)
Most AT and 386 computers come with at least 1MB of memory;
however, 360K of that is worthless because only 640K can be
addressed by DOS. Here's a nifty piece of software that, as if by
magic, adds as much as 64K to the 640K of conventional memory
available to your system. It was created by Microsoft, which unfortunately doesn't sell it separately.

528

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

To get HIMEM.SYS, you have to purchase Windows. Why Microsoft doesn't sell HIMEM.SYS as a stand-alone product is somewhat
of a mystery. If they did, they could call it Magic, charge $25, and
sell thousands of copies.
During the installation procedure for Windows, HIMEM.syS is
automatically copied onto your hard disk and the following line is
added to your CONFIG.SYS file:
DEVICE = HIMEM.syS.
If you don't plan to install Windows, you can install HIMEM.SYS
yourself simply by copying the file into your root directory, adding the DEVICE = HIMEM.SYS line to your CONFIG.SYS file, and
rebooting your computer.
Now load Ventura and check the diagnostics box. Next to FARCODE Overlay Size, you'll see the word HIMEM.SYS. This means
that the 47K (base version) or 60K (Professional Extension) normally taken up by FARCODE (a program module used by Ventura) is now taken care of by HIMEM.syS and no longer takes up
any conventional memory. You can verify that by comparing the
amount of external memory available with and without
HIMEM.syS. The difference is 2K less than the size of FARCODE
(the reason for the 2K discrepancy is that HIMEM.SYS itself requires about 2K of conventional memory).
Here's how HIMEM.SYS works (in layman's terms). DOS locates
blocks of data by specifying an address within the 640K of conventional memory plus an offset. For example, if the address is
512 and the offset is 30, DOS will look for the data at position 542.
In theory, an address of 620 with an offset of 40 should wrap
around to the bottom of conventional memory and result in position 20. However, due to a bug in the 80286 chip, it is possible to
fool DOS into not wrapping the address around to the bottom of
conventional memory, and as a result up to 64K of additional
"conventional" memory is opened up above 640K. HIMEM.SYS
works by loading whatever program modules it can find into that
64K area.

Chapter 26: Memory Limitations and Solutions

529

Note: you can use HIMEM.SYS with any 80286-based or 80386based computer. You can't use it with a PC or XT (8088 or 8086
chip).

Tip2~2--------------------------------------

Conflicts between HIMEM.SYS
and Other Programs That Use
Extended Memory
Since HIMEM.SYS was created by programmers at Microsoft,
you'd expect it to conform to all the relevant rules, regulations,
and specifications pertaining to extended memory. Apparently, it
does not. Don't use HIMEM.SYS in conjunction with other programs that make use of extended memory, such as disk caches
and print spoolers. My own tests have shown that neither the
leading caching program (Super PC-KwikJ nor the leading print
spooler (LaserTORQ) coexist satisfactorily with HIMEM.SYS when
they're using extended memory. Unless a vendor specifically tells
you that it has adjusted its program to coexist with HIMEM.SYS in
extended memory, you can assume that the two won't get along .
MAX

• More Memory Magic: 386
MAX

As the name suggests, 386
(or "386 to the Max") is a memory
management program specifically for 80386-based computers.
Like HIMEM.SYS, the main purpose of 386MAX is to increase the
amount of memory available to DOS by allowing DOS to use
extended memory between 640K and 1MB (we'll refer to this
memory as "high memory" and refer to conventional memory as
"low memory").
With Ventura, you can use 386MAX to do two things:
• Move your drivers and memory-resident utilities into high
memory, thus freeing up conventional memory.
• Install portions of Ventura's system software into high memory, again freeing up conventional memory.

530

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

To use 386MAX, copy the files 386MAX.SYS and 386MAX.COM
into your root directory and add the following line to your CONFIG.SYS file:
DEVICE = \path \386MAX. SYS
If you have extended memory in your computer, 386MAX can
configure it as expanded memory. If you already have an expanded memory board, you can either reconfigure the board as
extended memory or else add the command EMS=O. If you have
a high-resolution monitor, you may also have to add a command
that prevents 386MAX from attempting to use the address space in
high memory used by the monitor. For example, if you are using
a Wyse 700 monitor, you need to add the command VIDMEM =
AOOO-B3FF. If you are using 386MAX in conjunction with an EMS
board and a Wyse 700 monitor, the line in your CONFIG.SYS file
will look like this:
DEVICE = \path \386MAX. SYS EMS=O VIDMEM=AOOO-B3FF
Having placed the device line in your CONFIG.SYS file, you must
indicate to 386MAX which of your drivers and memory-resident
utilities are to be moved into high memory. This is done using the
commands "386MAX LOADHIGH" and "386MAX LOADLOW." For
example, a modified AUTOEXEC. BAT file might look like this:
prompt $p$g
PATH=C:\QMSJS
386MAX LOADHIGH
JETS TART
\MOUSE1\mouse
path=c:\bat;c:\dos;c:\mw;C:\QMSJS
utility\kwik\superpck /a+/s:1024
386MAX LOADLOW
The final step is to modify VP.BAT or VPPROF.BAT so that as
many system files as possible are loaded into high memory. To do
this, use the OPENHIGH and CLOSEHIGH commands. For example:
C:386MAXOPENHIGB
C: CD \ VENTURA

Chapter 26: Memory Limitations and Solutions

DRVRMRGR VPPROF %1
C:386MAX CLOSEHIGH

.:.

531

/S=SD_WY700.VGA/M=32/F=128

What Are the Limits?
Since the initial release of Ventura in 1986, the size of allowable
text files, style sheets, chapters, and publications have all increased steadily. The following are the limits currently imposed
by Ventura:

· Size of text ["ties: Without expanded memory, the maximum amount of text per chapter is 2MB, less 16K for every
1,000 paragraphs. Of course, that's the absolute limit, which
can only be approached if Ventura resorts to a good deal of
swapping out to the hard disk, a slow, error-prone process.
With the Professional Extension and expanded memory, the
maximum amount of text per chapter is 4MB or the total
amount of EMS in your computer, less 16K per 1,000 paragraphs. The main advantage of the Professional Extension is
that its use of EMS means that there is never any need to
create overflow files on the hard disk.
• Maximum number of tags in a style sheet: 128 (including
tags generated by Ventura itself).
• Number of chapters per publication: 128.
• Number of paragraphs per chapter: 1,000 per 16K of memory up to 64,000.
• Number of line elements per frame: 725 in the base version
of Ventura; up to 16,000 in the Professional Extension if
EMS is available. This means that in the Professional Extension, the "Frame Too Complex" error message need no
longer cramp your style - you're unlikely to ever encounter
it, no matter what sort of page you create.
• Maximum size of a paragraph: 7,990 bytes.

532

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Tip2~3-------------------------------------

Overcoming Line Element Limits
The limit of 725 line elements per frame is most likely to cause
problems if you are creating a multi-column document in a
small point size such as a phone directory. Let's assume you are
creating a three-column directory. To place more than 725 line
elements on a page, draw two frames over the second and third
columns. Load the document into the base page as usual, then
select the first frame and click on the name of the text file in the
sidebar. Text will now flow into the second column. Repeat the
procedure to flow text into the second frame. Now mark the two
frames as repeating frames. Ventura will automatically repeat the
format for as many pages as necessary to contain the whole
document.

Tip 26-4------------------------------------

Minimizing the Size of
Database Output
Every paragraph, no matter how long, consumes at least 64 bytes
of RAM. So a one-word paragraph will take up 64 bytes, the same
as a paragraph with nine words. You can reduce the amount of
RAM consumed by a document by setting up your database program to generate two consecutive line breaks rather than paragraph breaks to start each new line. (You need two consecutive
line breaks because Ventura will ignore single-line breaks.) To
generate a line break, set up your database program to emit an R
surrounded by angle brackets «R». Of course, you still have to
insert a paragraph mark occasionally, to avoid violating the
7,990-byte limit for individual paragraphs.

Utilities
Recent medical studies have shown that it's the little things in life
which can kill you. So it's not surprising that it's also the little
things in life which can save you. Utility programs help you overcome limitations and can make the difference between your computer-life being frustrating or fruitful.
In addition to the utilities discussed in this chapter, a number of
other utilities are covered elsewhere in this book:
• Chapter 5, "Monitors": Soft Kicker
• Chapter 9, "Working with Style Sheets": Pub*Star, VPToolbox
• Chapter 19, "Screen Snapshots": Frieze, Hotshot Graphics
• Chapter 22, "Font Tools": FaceLift, ATM for Windows,
Bitstream Fontware, SuperPrint, Publisher's PowerPak,
MoreFonts, SoftCraft's Fontware, Type Director, Font Effects,

534

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Publisher's Type Foundry, SoftType, fontART, Font Effects,
and WYSIfonts!
• Chapter 23, "Speed Tips": Various disk caching and disk optimizing programs
• Chapter 25, "Printing Tips": PrintCache
• Chapter 26, "Memory Limitations and Solutions":
HIMEM.SYS, 386MAX

Profue----------------------------------------XVP/Tabs
One of the high points of the Professional Extension is the table
generator. While this feature is exceptional, its ability to read 1-2-3
print files is somewhat limited, especially with financial information. If you often rely on information from worksheets, XVP/Tabs
automates many worksheet-related features that are still manual
in the Professional Extension.
While the Professional Extension requires that you print your 1-23 worksheet to a file before loading it into Ventura, XVP/Tabs can
import Lotus worksheet (WKS) files directly. This means two
things: first, you don't have to format your spreadsheet carefully
(with at least two spaces between each column), as you do with
the Professional Extension, and you don't have to print the
worksheet to an ASCII file.
More importantly, XVP/Tabs automatically calculates all tab stops
and sets them in the Ventura style sheet. It then tags the
worksheet so that it works with the style sheet. It also sets up
single and double ruling lines for the rows in the worksheet
which used dashes or equal signs as separator rows.
XVP /Tabs automates the following features which are necessities
for properly formatting financial data: aligns dollar signs in
columns, works with mixed number formats, allows you to use
bold for any range, moves dollar signs outside parenthesis of
negative numbers, maintains indenting of row labels, understands

535

Chapter 27: Utilities

XVP/TABS Z.8

Figure 27-1: In

the Main Menu for
XVPITabs, you
define the portions
ofyour spreadsheet that you
want to import
into Ventura.

Copyright

(c)

1988 hI} The Laser Edge, Inc., Oakland, CA

in~ool==--=-----==========--====================~

Ip iIIIIJ Files Ranges Styling Options Go Quit
isplay the other half or the paralileter window.

Par~ten:------------------------------------------~

Input Worksheet .. :
Ventura Text File:
Tag Intorution .. :
Style Sheet File.:
Coluns .......... :

A:\XVPTST.WX1
A:\xvPTST. TXT
A: \xvPTST .VTI
A:\GOOGOO.STY
A-E
Title Rows ....... : 1-5
Data Rows ........ : 1-4,12-14
Footnote Rows ..•• : (default>
Boldface Ranges .. : 1
Superscript Cols.: (default>
FraNe Width ...... : 5.88 Inches

r

tatus

Figure 27-2: More

formatting information is supplied
in the Style Menu,
including currency units, width
and length of
frame, font, and
type size.
XVPITabs then
creates your Ventura tags.

XVP/TABS VI
Copl}right (c) 1988 hI} The Laser Edge, Inc., Oakland, CA

tyle

lfenul=-========-=-======-====~

Width
elect units

or
or

Frue Length of Frilflle Font Size Quit
IlleaSUreAent for fraNe.

ParaJlleters:-------------------------------------,
Footnote Rows .... : (default>
Boldface Ranges .. : 1
Superscript Cols.: (default)
Frue Width ...... : 5.88 Inches
Itax Frue Length.: 8.88 Inches
Font Hue ........ : Helvetica (Swiss) (Font ID =2)
Type Size ........ : 8 points
Currency Syahol .. : prefixeS)
Currency Forut .. : <1,234.56)
Equal Signs ...... : (thick ruling line)
HyphenslEquals ... : (translated to ruling lines)

536

Ventura Tip$ and Tricks, 3rd Edition

and preserves titles centered over two columns, and keeps footnote references formatted properly. The program understands
foreign currency punctuation as well.

Profik------------------------------------------

DataTAG
Ventura is a natural for typesetting all types of databases and
directories. It even has features designed especially for this, such
as automatic headers and footers - but it's not all that easy. Because directories often have columns just like spreadsheets, you
might be tempted to use a tab conversion program with a
database file, and while this would work, it's not the most practical way to go. DataTAG is the best idea for printing files from any
database program with Ventura. It's one of those simple programs
that does its job, sometimes without much grace, but always with
speed, accuracy, and efficiency.
DataTAG works especially well with Ventura, where you can
automatically add ruling lines, gray screens, and keep groups of
lines together. DataTAG uses standard comma-delimited files,
which almost every database in creation can generate. Even many
spreadsheets use this format, and DataTAG could be used with
spreadsheets as well, though a program such as Tabin would be
more suitable. DataTAG looks at a file and sees how many fields
are in each record. It then asks you what you want to tag each of
the fields. DataTAG then creates a separate line for each field,
preceded with whatever tag name you specify. The documentation that comes with the program consists of a few pieces of
paper, but it's enough.
All is not perfect, however. My biggest complaint is that if you
want to publish the same database over and over, you still must
manually type the tag names for each field, and this is both
tedious and an obvious place for good old human error to creep
in. If you enter a tag name even slightly different from what's in
your Ventura style sheet, you won't get the results you expected.

537

Chapter 27: Utilities

The program's author has said this will be corrected in a future
version. Still, DataTAG is the easiest way to import database files
and reports into Ventura. It's one of those programs that is so
simple, someone should have invented it sooner, and it's something you quickly come to depend on.

Profik-----------------------------------------

XVP/Base
XVP/Base, from the makers of XVP/Tabs, is specifically designed
to import dBase files into Ventura. Unlike DataTAG, which works
with any program that creates comma-delimited files, XVP /Base
works with dBase only.
If you use dBase, you know how difficult it can be to program a
special report. But now, 10 and behold, XVP /Base can do the
programming for you. You start by creating a sample page in
Ventura, with sample data formatted the way you will want the
final data to look. VP/Base enables you to insert Ventura formatting codes into your sample page, so you can format different
fields in different ways: some bold, some italic, and some in different fonts entirely. VP/Base then checks the Ventura file, and
creates a dBase program. When you run the dBase program, your
data is specifically formatted for Ventura. It's a slick system, and
because you can run the dBase program VP /Base creates over
and over, you can update your dBase repeatedly as it changes.

Projile----------------------------------------WP2VP
WP2VP is designed to fine-tune formatted WordPerfect documents prior to importing into Ventura. One pass through WP2VP
converts a standard WordPerfect file to one that follows strict
typesetting conventions. It converts underlines to italics, corrects
the kerning around em dashes and between the period marks in
an ellipsis, and replaces double spaces after periods with typo-

538

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

graphically correct single spaces. It also converts WordPerfect's
own footnote commands to Ventura format. WP2VP is fast and
safe, as it creates a new file and leaves your old one unchanged.
It's also easy to configure. A file in regular WordPerfect format has
a list of conversion features; you simply choose the ones you
want.
The companion program to WP2VP is VP2WP, which does just the
opposite: it strips Ventura codes from your file, leaving straight
WordPerfect text. Once again, you can configure the program to
leave in tag names, or any other Ventura codes, so your file is
exactly the way you want it. You can even configure VP2WP to
insert specific WordPerfect functions such as centering, bold, indent, shift indent (left and right margins), and tabs, to replace
specific Ventura tags. The config file lets you specify what WordPerfect functions to substitute for Ventura tags. Just being able to
automatically convert underlines to italics is worth the price of
WP2VP. Just being able to remove some of Ventura's more verbose codes without endless, confusing search and replace is
worth the price of VP2WP.

Figure 27-3: This

is the configuration file for
WP2VP, showing
the typographical
adjustments that
will automatically be made.

ONFIGURATION FILE FOR wp2vp
c

.

Switches IIloved to the left IIlargin in this file wi 11 be OFF (they IIluStc
illllllediately follow a [HRt]). Switches can be toggled Ott or OFF frolll their c
configuration file settings by including thefll on the cOIllMnd line. c
c

:m
c
-f
c
-h
c
-i
c
-k

= when

Ott. converts footnotes to Ventura fornat.c

= when

Ott. converts 2 hyphens to a Ventura dash. c

= when

Ott. converts under line to ita lics . c

= when Ott. kerns certa i n tr ip lets. c

c

-p
c
-q

= when

Ott. substitutes 1 space for 2 spaces. c

= when

Ott. converts double-quotes (") to Venturac
left- and right-hand quotes «169) and (178)>'c
«

l on conventional screens. Press PgDn for 3 lIIore switches below lc
A:\W 2VP .CFG

Doc 1 Pg 1 Ln 1" Pos 8.25"

539

Chapter 27: Utilities

Profile ------------------------------------------

TAGteam
TAGteam takes WordPerfect file conversion one step farther than
mere conversion - it actually does the tagging for you. For example, instead of entering "@HEADLINE" in your WordPerfect
file, you can instruct TAGteam to give this tag to any line that was
centered and bold. This feature is especially useful when you are
creating paragraphs for which Ventura requires more than one
tag. The most frequent case in which this is necessary is when a
paragraph is justified, but needs a tab, such as when you have a
paragraph number, a tab, then the rest of the paragraph. Ventura
can't use regular tabs in justified paragraphs, but you can achieve
the same effect using the Breaks feature, so that the second paragraph will start where the first leaves off. When TAGteam sees a
paragraph with a tab in the middle, it breaks the paragraph into
several separate paragraphs, each with its own tag. Then all you
have to do to achieve the right formatting is adjust the Breaks.
TAGteam does not automatically turn underlines into italics, but it
does allow you to insert less conspicuous codes, which it will
translate into Ventura's. ALT 174 and ALT 175 take a lot less space
than  and  and are ignored by style and grammar checking programs (one warning: many European countries use these
symbols instead of quotation marks). TAGteam will also translate
other ALT commands in the file into full Ventura tag names.
If you often work with symbols, TAGteam will automatically
translate the symbols of the IBM-PC symbol set into the Ventura
symbol set. Because Ventura's symbols aren't in the same order as
the PC's, this is no small task, since it means changing fonts and
selecting different characters in Ventura's font set.
TAGteam also works the other way around, taking fully-tagged
Ventura files and stripping the codes or converting them to its
own less obtrusive format. One drawback is that unlike WP2VP,
you can't control what codes are not converted - it's all or nothing. TAGteam has an easy-to-use menu-driven interface and COffi-

540

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

prehensive documeritation. It does more than WP2VP, but allows
you less control over what features you want to use or avoid .

•:.

Additional PostScript Support
Profik-----------------------------------------

VP/Saddle
Remember those leather wallet kits you got as a kid? I bet you
didn't know that Ventura could sew through leather, did you?
Well, it can't. And if you fell for that one, you don't know what a
saddle stitch is. If you take apart a booklet or magazine, you'll
notice that page 2 and 3 are on two different pieces of paper. In
a sixteen page booklet, page 2 and page 15 are on the same piece
of paper, page 3 and page 14 on another, and so on. When you
duplicate these pages back to back, and staple them in the middle, you get a finished publication.
But Ventura normally doesn't work this way. It normally puts one
page on one piece of paper, or at most, two smaller pages on a
single sheet. Since Ventura won't flow text backwards, there's no
way to put page 2 where page 16 should be, then flow the text
back to page 3 at the front.
So until VP/Saddle, you had to print the pages, paste them
together in the proper order, and take them some place to be
produced in mass quantities.
Now Ventura can work this minor miracle, if you have a PostScript
printer and VP /Saddle. VP /Saddle is a fiendishly clever piece of
work. You create your file as usual, using half size pages (5V2 by
8V2 inches) in the page layout menu. You print the file to disk,
then run VP /Saddle. The disk file is actually a PostScript program
that Ventura has written. VP /Saddle goes through and rearranges
this file, so that pages print out in the correct saddle-stitched
order. VP /Saddle takes only a few seconds and requires no special formatting.

541

Chapter 27: Utilities

• Two-Up
That would be enough for one program, but VP /Saddle does
more. The Two-Up option allows you to make two copies of half
size pages on the same piece of paper. When you do go to the
dreaded photocopy machine, your money goes twice as fareach single copy making two copies of your page .

• Enlarged Format
VP/Saddle's Enlarged Format is a way to improve the apparent
print quality from a laser printer. If you are working with half size,
or trade paperback-size pages (6 by 9 inches), this feature will
enlarge your page to fill an entire 81/2- by II-inch piece of paper.
When you go to have your publication mass-produced, the
printer can set his camera to shrinking the pages to the size you
wanted originally, thus improving the visible resolution of your
type. You could do this without VP /Saddle, but you would have
to calculate everything manually, and select type sizes larger than
you really wanted. VP /Saddle allows you to create pages the size
you are going to actually use, which saves a lot of confusion.
Overall, VP /Saddle is a clever, inexpensive, and useful program
for owners of PostScript printers. You may not appreciate how
useful these features are until you actually try them, but believe
me, they can make a big difference .

•:.

File/Style Management
Profue-----------------------------------------VPManager
You've heard the annoying old adage: "Too many cooks spoil the
broth," and there are times when this is all too true. If you've got
a big group working with one Ventura chapter or publication, you
can run into questions like these: What's this chapter about? What
do all the tags in this style sheet do? What files are in this chapter?

542

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Who's working on this chapter? who worked on it last? How far
along is it? What draft is it? Where's that chapter we did that touted
mayonnaise as the cure-all for the next century?
VP Manager is designed specifically for work groups using Ventura. Work Group Computing is the latest buzzword in the techno
biZ, and you work groups out there (you know who you are) will
be pleased to know you don't have to wait for software aimed
straight between your eyes. The best part is that VP Manager runs
right inside of Ventura. This means that the interface is consistent
with Ventura: there aren't new commands to learn, and you don't
have to leave Ventura and run a separate program or try to scratch
out illegible notes which look like a chicken wrote them.
VP Manager starts with a Mac-like desktop that can display all
your files, or just Ventura chapters and style sheets. The desktop
provides file management, and besides letting you copy, rename,
or move chapters, it makes Ventura's Multi-Chaptering functions
as easy as dragging a little chapter icon from one window to
another.

• Chapter Description and History
VP Manager allows you to keep track of who did what, and when.
You can enter a 144-character description of each chapter and
give each chapter a category as well as assign keywords that you
can search for later. The program displays the name, location, and
date of all associated files, text, graphics, styles, and width tables.
You can print a quick rundown on all your tags and their basic
features, such as typeface, size, weight, tabs, and special effects.
The report generator gives you printed reports on any chapter or
publication. You can search for chapters using the keywords or
categories you entered .

• Do you need it?
The trick with any program like this is that you do have to go out
of your way and enter all the information, otherwise the program

543

Chapter 27: Utilities

Figure 27-4:

The Chapter
Info menu of VP
Manager lets
you attach a
144-character
description of a
chapter, along
with keywords
and other
descriptive
information.

Rev: 1,01

CHAPTER INFO ~
Publication:
Chapter: C:\WPS\WPMAG\TRENDS,CHP

Description: Trends In T~pe: WhatJs Hot J WhatJs Not and who[
cares one wa~ or another, Libelous if ~ou ask
[l'Je but nobod~ asked [l'Je, ________
J

DocuJllent T!Jpe: I Manual I I Book I I Newsletter! ! Brochure!

I Presentation! I Proposal! I.Aii4M HYPE_
Ke!Jwords: TYPEFACES___

FONTS_________

PROPAGANDA_

Size: 9,5" X11,0" Orientation: Portrait
LP.!iy.l!iiL~] []~~I]

Files I I History I

Pages: 01

OK II Cancel I

Figure 27-5:

With thejob
Tracking menu of
VP Manager, you
can identify the
status of a document as it moves
through the
various stages of
editing and
production.

Rev: 1,01

JOB TRACKI Nti ~
Publication:
Chapter: C:\WPS\WPMAG\TRENDS,CHP
Stage:

I Outline I

Schedule:

1101/891

'gllttA I 2nd Draft I
1/18189

1/01/90

Final
1/01/80

Status: li[;III~1 I On Hold I I At Review I I In Queue I
Writer: DWH_ _ __
Illustrator: Ha! _ _ __
Editor: TWH,____
Manager: GOD is [I'J!J JIIangr

I OK I I Cancel I

544

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

is useless. If you're not willing (or won't remember) to enter the
information necessary to properly catalog your chapters, then
most of VP Manager's features won't do you much good. But if
you are diligent about such details, VP Manager will help you
keep track of your Ventura files. And if you have a number of
people doing work on the same files, VP Manager can take the
mystery and confusion out of the who's, what's, and when's of
our Ventura publications.

Profik----------------------------------------VPMover
Problem: you want to archive complete Ventura Publisher chapters onto floppies, but either they don't fit or they take so much
space that you end up with stacks and stacks of floppies.
Solution: VPMover. VPMover is an inexpensive and thoughtfully
designed utility that allows you to "multi-chapter" Ventura chapters and save tons of disk space by putting them into ARC (or ZIP
or LZH) files-simultaneously.
First, let me explain "multi-chaptering" and "ZIP" programs. Because a single Ventura chapter can contain files spread over
countless directories or even hard disks, you can't just copy the
file individually. If you did, Ventura would no longer know where
to look for the files. Ventura's own multi-chaptering function
copies all the files associated with the chapter, and then edits the
new chapter file so it knows the location of all the newly copied
files.
"ARC" is a program which does two basic things: the program
uses sophisticated algorithms to compresses files so they end up
being only 30 to 80 percent of their original size (the average is
about 50 percent), and a single ARC file can contain many other
files. The only way to use or view these files once they've been
"arced" is to "unarc" them, using an unarcing program. Currently
there are three standards, the ARC format, the newer ZIP format,
and the LZH format out of Japan. All three save about the same

Chapter 27: Utilities

545

amount of space and take about the same amount of time. These
programs can take from a few seconds to a few minutes to archive files, depending on their size. VPMover can use any ARC,
ZIP, or LZH program, and it comes with a copy of LZH because
that program is in the public domain.
I know, you're thinking, "Why can't I just use any old ARC program and do it myself?" but it's not that simple. It would be
difficult to use just an arcing program because first you'd have to
locate all the necessary files. Even then, it wouldn't be true "multichaptering," because it wouldn't update the chapter file so that
Ventura would know where all the files are now located.
But VPMover does it all in one easy step. VPMover looks at your
Ventura chapters, finds all the files no matter where they are, and
adds them to a single ARC file. Besides arcing your original chapter file, VPMover creates a new one that contains the arced location of your files. If you need to use them again, you can either
unarc them in the same directory where you arced them, or use
the "replace" batch file VPMover creates to copy them all back to
their original locations. If you wish, VPMover will also do a standard multi-chapter copy, without compressing the files.
VPMover is the kind of software that has been so refined there are
no rough edges. It's a simple utility and what it does it does well.
It even permits you to choose whether or not you want to move
or arc your Ventura width table. This is an important feature because PostScript and LaserMaster width tables can take from 150K
to 400K, depending on how many fonts they contain. Ventura
always copies the width table, and this can be frustrating when
the width table nearly fills a standard disk, or won't even fit on
one. This feature alone makes VPMover's multi-chaptering more
convenient than Ventura's own.
In most cases, after you've Arced a chapter, you want to delete
the original files, and once again VPMover automates the process.
You can set it to delete the files automatically or to ask you before
it deletes each file. To make sure you don't delete a file which
might be used in another Ventura chapter, VPMover comes with

546

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

an additional utility that searches throughout your hard disk (or
disks), reads all your Ventura chapters, and searches to see if any
files are shared by more than one chapter. If it finds any shared
files, it creates a list of those files - an invaluable feature.
VPMover's interface is menu/mouse driven. The manual is concise but clear, and the publisher provides good technical support.
Most importantly, the program is completely reliable. The more
you use Ventura, the more you need this gem of a utility.

Projile------------------------------------------

Mouse Ware
This program, formerly "Mickey," allows you to control the speed
of your mouse when you're inside Ventura (or any other mousedriven program). There's not much to it: press ALT-F, the computer beeps, the mouse moves faster. Press ALT-F again, the beep
gets higher, the mouse moves faster. ALT-S makes it goes slower,
and ALT-R resets the mouse to its standard speed. It works .

• The Other Button
MouseWare's other big feature is that it allows you to use the
second mouse button, the one on the right. Ventura can only use
one button, the left one, but MouseWare turns the right button
into the Enter key. The real advantage is that instead of having to
move the mouse to press OK in menus, you just press the right
button. It's a handy little feature.
MouseWare is clever and useful, but it does have a few drawbacks. First is that it takes about 22K of memory. Ventura needs
every byte of memory it can get, so 22K is mucho memory for
these few, albeit useful, features. If you have EMS this isn't a
problem, but if you don't, Ventura will probably run slower and
have to write to disk more often.
Second, MouseWare works best with the Microsoft Bus or InPort
mouse. If you use it with a serial mouse (such as the PC Mouse or

547

Chapter 27: Utilities

Logitech) you have to load the mouse driver as well, and that
takes another 10K of memory. MouseWare worked fine with EGA,
VGA, Hercules, and the full-page Genius monitor. It may not perform perfectly on all full page monitors, so try to check it out first.

Profik---------------------------------------VPto the Max
If you're disappointed that Ventura 3 doesn't have any new features, you're not alone. Luckily, VP to the Max has come to the
rescue. It's a new "desk accessory" for Ventura which gives both
Ventura 2 and 3 (under GEM) important new features-without

taking any memory away from Ventura.
VP to the Max adds four new items to the Ventura Desk menu:
Spell Checker, Thesaurus, Style Sheet View, and Search &
Replace. Spell Check is the most important. It's all too easy to
make text errors while working on page layout, and it's always a
good idea to spell check one last time before your final printout.
Because of the way Ventura can integrate so many different files,
it used to be a pain to manually spell check all your files. Now
you just pull down the menu and VP to the Max automatically
spell checks all the files associated with a Ventura chapter, including the captions. The program uses the 116,OOO-word MerriamWebster dictionary.
You may spend hours (or days) making everything look perfect in
Ventura, but the better a page looks the more typos and spelling
erros [sid jump right off the page. VP to the Max helps you look
your best. And if you're the kind of person who likes to use
Ventura as a word processing program, then this is what you've
been waiting for.
The search and replace feature is a real boon. It means you don't
have to go back into your word processing program to make
repetitive changes. You can even search and replace style sheet
tags or "set font" changes, a real time saver.

548

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

The Style Sheet Viewer displays an overview of all your tags,
including the name, font size, typeface, weight, alignment, number of tabs, and special effects.
There are two small drawbacks. First, VP to the Max can only
spell check ASCII files. This means that once you load your normal word processor files into a Ventura chapter, you must click on
"File type/rename," and change the text file to ASCII. Because you
can change back to your own word processing format at any time,
this is only a minor inconvenience. The second drawback has to
do with the way the thesaurus works. It doesn't automatically
search on the word under the cursor-you have to type the word
manually.
But it's hard to complain about a program which does so much so
well. Considering the features VP to the Max adds, it's the best
way to upgrade Ventura. In fact, if you're planning on staying with
Ventura under GEM (and you don't need all the bug fixes of 3.0),
you might think about adding VP to the Max rather than shelling
out for the not-all-that-different Ventura 3. VP to the Max is one of
the most useful utility programs you can add to Ventura.

Label Sheets
In this chapter, I'll explain a simple, straightforward way to print
your label sheets with Ventura. Let's assume you're using the
standard 1- by 23/4-inch (or 1- by 25/s-inch) labels sold by Avery
and others, and that you're using a laser printer. One option is to
print a set of masters on plain paper, then xerox these onto actual
label sheets whenever you do a mailing. Another option is to feed
the label sheets themselves through the printer. If you do the
latter, you'll need to pay attention to a few cautions. First, don't
use any label sheet with spaces between labels or with missing
labels, since that may cause labels to come loose and get stuck
inside the printer. Second, open the rear output tray so that the
labels can be ejected flat without having to negotiate the hairpin
turn into the paper tray.
In buying labels, it's a good idea to hunt down one of the new
types that Avery or James River Corporation make specifically for

550

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

laser printers. For the 1- by 25/s-inch size, the Avery labels are part
numbers 5260 and 5160, and the James River Corporation labels
can be located under the "Pro-Tech Laser Specialties" name.

It's possible to print labels directly from your database program or
by using the mail-merge capabilities of your word processing program, but the job is far easier with Ventura. Although most
database programs do have a label-printing module, these don't
necessarily work well with laser printers. Likewise, the word
processor mail-merge approach has problems of its own. For one
thing, since not every address has the same number of lines, you
have to do a lot of if/then programming to avoid skipped lines in
addresses. In addition, it can be confusing to correctly align text in
three columns even with the best word processing software.
With Ventura, labels are easy. In a nutshell, the strategy is to set
up your database as a text file and then load it into Ventura. In the
text file, each address is a single paragraph, within which the lines
that make up the address are separated by line breaks. Between
each pair of addresses is a blank paragraph that acts as a space
filler exactly one inch tall. The space filler measures its height
from the top line of one address to the top line of the next address, making it possible to have two, three, four, or five-line
addresses without disrupting the placement of addresses in a
regular grid on the page.
The space-filler paragraph is the secret ingredient that makes
labels easy to print with Ventura. With this approach, your style
sheet will need only two tags, one containing the formatting information for the address itself, the other containing the formatting
information for the space-filler paragraph.

Chapter 28: Label Sheets

.:.

551

Preparing the Text File
Now let's get more specific. Before doing anything with Ventura,
you need to convert your database into a text file. Let's say you're
using dBASE and your database has this structure:
Name
Address 1
Address2
City
In my case, it happens to be a dBASE file called ILLUSTRATORS.DBF. To convert the database to a text file, I type
these commands:
Use ILLUSTRATORS
Copy fields Name,Addressl,Address2,City to LABELS
sdf delimited with II

In response to these commands, dBASE creates a file called
LABELS. TXT. Next, I quit dBASE and from the DOS command line
type the following:
Type LABELS. TXT

My data appears in the format shown in Figure 28-1.
Let's give this format the name Format A. As you can see, some
labels in my database need three lines and some need four, but as
we noted above, dealing with this won't be any problem.
Before you import your own database into Ventura, you'll need to
load the text into your word processor and use search-andreplace operations to change it into a new format, which we'll call
Format B. It is shown in Figure 28-2.
There are several differences between Format A and Format B. In
Format A, each field is separated by a quotation mark followed by
a comma followed by a quotation mark. In Format B, each field is
separated by the expression , which is Ventura's way of

552

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

IIComputer Support Corporation"," 15926 Midway
Rd. ", "Dallas, TX 75244"1\'
IIArtware Systems,

Inc.", "3741 Benson Dr.", "Raleigh, NC

27609"1\'
liT/Maker Co.Maker Co."," 1973 Landings Dr.", "Mountain
View, CA 94043" 1\'
IIMicrografx,

Inc.","1303 Arapaho" ,"Richardson, TX 75081"

IIDynamic Graphics", "6000 N. Forest Park Dr.", "peoria,

IL

61616"1\'
IIImage Club", "#206 -

2915 -

19th st. NE", "Calgary,

Alberta" , "Canada T2E 7 A2 "1\'
IIDesktop Graphics", "400 Country Dr.", "Suite H", "Dover,
DE 19901 "1\'
IIHewlett-Packard Personal Software Division"," 3410
Central Expressway", "Santa Clara, CA 95051 "1\'
IINetwork Technology Corp.", "6825 Lamp Post
Lane", "Alexandria, VA 22306"1\'
IISoftware Complement", "8 Pennsylvania Ave.", "Matamoras,
PA 18336"1\'
II

ImageWorld" ,"P.O. Box 10415", "Eugene, OR 97440"1\'

IICompuCraft", "P.O. Box 3155", "Englewood, CO 80155"1\'

"GoldMind Publishing"," 12155 Magnolia Ave.

II,

"Sui te

3B", "Riverside, CA 92503"1\'

"Metro ImageBase, Inc.", "18623 Ventura Blvd. ","Suite
210", "Tarzana, CA 91356"1\'
IIpC QUIK,

Inc.", "394 S. Milledge Ave.

II, "suite

200" ,"Athens, GA 30606"1\'

Figure 28-1: This is how your data appears when first converted by dBASE into a text file

(Format A).

553

Chapter 28: Label Sheets

computer Support Corporation15926 Midway
Rd.Dallas, TX
@FILLER =

75244~

~

Artware Systems,

Inc.3741 Benson Dr.Raleigh, NC

27609~

@FILLER

=

~

T/Maker CO.Maker Co.1973 Landings Dr.Mountain
94043~

View, CA
@FILLER

=

~

Micrografx,
@FILLER

=

Inc.1303 ArapahoRichardson, TX

75081~

~

Dynamic Graphics6000 N. Forest Park Dr.Peoria,

IL

61616~

@FILLER

=

~

Image Club#206 -

2915 -

AlbertaCanada T2E
@FILLER =

19th st. NECalgary,

7A2~

~

Desktop Graphics400 Country Dr.Suite HDover, DE
19901~

@FILLER

=

~

Hewlett-Packard Personal Software Division3410
Central ExpresswaySanta Clara, CA
@FILLER

=

95051~

~

Network Technology Corp.6825 Lamp Post
LaneAlexandria, VA
@FILLER

22306~

=

Figure 28-2: After being converted into this form (Format B), the data is ready for

importing into Ventura.

554

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

denoting a line break (i.e., a command to start a new line without
starting a new paragraph).
Another difference between the two formats is that in Format A,
the records are separated by a quotation mark followed by a
paragraph break followed by another quotation mark. In Format
B, the records are separated by two paragraph breaks followed by
the expression "@FILLER = " followed by two paragraph breaks.
Note that the = sign must be preceded and followed by a space.

-:--~:-;--'--:-""""""""""""""""'1;;""""."'~~~~-

ImageWorld..

................................ .

P.O. Box 10415.
Eugene, OR 974401

Artware systems, Inc.•
3741 Benson Dr.•
Raleigh, NC 27609V

Compucralt ..
P.O. Box 3155..
Englewood, CO 801551

We80ler Graphics.
Fox Pal/Hion, Box 1132.
Jenkirtcwn, PA 1904611

T/Maker Co. Maker Co.•
1 973 LCII1dngs Dr.•
Mountain V'eN, CA 94043V

GoIdMind Publishing ..
12155 Magnolia Ave...
Sute 38.
Riverside, CA 92503l1

CES ..
509 Cathedral Parkway •
Sute lOA..
New York, NY 1 00251

Micrografx, Inc.•
1303 Arapaho.
Richardson. 1)( 7508111

Metro ImageBase, Inc.•
18623 VentLra Blvd. •
Sute 210.
Tarzana, CA 9135611

VS Software..
P.O. Box 6158.

~F~~~~Dr.•

PC QUIK, Inc.•
394 S. MiQedge Ave. •
Sule 200"
Athens, GA 3060611

Adobe Systems Inc.•
P.O. Box 7900..
Mountain V'eN, CA 940391

Image Club.

Lexisoft, Inc."

#206 • 2915 • 19th St. NE.
Calgary, Alberta.
canada T2E 7A21I

P.O. Box 1950.
Davis, CA 9561 7V

Casady 8. Greene, Inc.•
26080 Carmel Rancho Blvd. •
Suts 202..
Carmel, CA 9392311

DeSktop Graphics.
400 COUrtry Dr.•

Marketing Graphics Incorporated.
4401 Dominion Blvd. •
Sute 210..
Glen Alen, VA 23060·337911

Peoria, IL 6161611

Sule H.
Dover, DE 1990111

Little Rock, AR 7221611

MacTograpt?f.
702 TwinbrOOk Parkway"
Rockvile, MD 2085111

Figure 28-3: As shown here, the filler tag keeps all the labels aligned in a regular grid, no
matter whether they have two-line or three-line addresses, The Ruling Line Above
(text-wide) feature has been used to add the short horizontal line above each address.

Chapter 28: Label Sheets

555

This expression tells Ventura that the blank paragraph between
two records is to be formatted with a tag called FILLER.
When you're finished converting the file to Format B, save it as an
unformatted or ASCII file and give it the extension 1Xf.
In converting from Format A to Format B, you'll need to find out
how your word processor searches and replaces paragraph
breaks. In Microsoft Word, you can search for paragraph breaks
by using the expression I\p (caret p) in the search-and-replace
dialog box. In WordPerfect, you can just press the Enter key when
you need to indicate a paragraph break.

.:.

Formatting in Ventura
Once you have your database in Format B, you can load Ventura.
From the File menu, select Load Different Style and load the
DEFAULT. STY style sheet from the \TYPESET subdirectory. Then
from the File menu, select Save As New Style and name the new
style LABEL. STY.
Now you can load the database. Switch to frame mode and from
the File menu select Load Text/Picture. Select the ASCII format
and indicate the correct subdirectory and filename. Your unformatted database should appear on the screen. If it does not, select
the frame icon, click on the page, then click on the file name in
the Assignment List on the left side of the screen.
Note that the expression "@FILLER = " is no longer visible. Ventura has converted it into a tag for the blank paragraph that
separates each pair of records.
To set the margins for your page, select Margins & Columns from
the Frame Menu. Select 3 for number of columns, enter 1" for the
top and bottom margins, and enter 0 for the left and right margins.
If you have laser printer label paper, the kind with half of a label
at the top and bottom, you can use 1/2" for the top and bottom
margins.

556

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Now it's time to specify the settings for the tags. Switch to tagging
mode and click on one of the records in your database. The word
Body Text should appear in the Selection Box at the lower left of
the screen. This is the default tag that Ventura assigns to any
untagged text.
From the Paragraph menu, select Font. You can choose any font
available for your printer as long as the size is 10 to 12 points.
Again from the Paragraph menu, select Spacing. Enter 0 for Above
and Below and 2 picas for In From Left.
Now click on one of the paragraph marks that separates your
records. If you can't see a paragraph mark, press Ctrl-T. Once you
have selected one of these in-between paragraph marks, you'll
see the word FILLER in the Selection box at the lower left of the
screen. This is the name of the tag that controls the formatting of
the space between each pair of records.
From the Paragraph menu, select Spacing. Make all settings 0
except Below. Set Below to one inch.
Highlight one of the records again. From the Paragraph menu,
select Breaks. Set Line Break to None. This forces Ventura to
consider only the amount of vertical space taken up by the paragraphs marked FILLER (one inch) and to ignore the vertical space
taken up by the addresses themselves. After you press OK, you'll
see all the records align themselves so that the top line of each
address is exactly one inch from the top line of the next address.
You may be wondering why it was necessary to use two different
styles for the label sheet. Wouldn't it have been sufficient merely
to have set the Space Below for Body Text such that each pair of
records would have been separated by a specified distance? That
would work, but only if every address in your database had the
same number of lines. Usually, however, that's not the case. Some
addresses need only three lines, others need four or five. By using
a separate tag for the space between records, you can vary the
number of lines in your addresses without affecting the placement
of addresses on subsequent labels.

Chapter 28: Label Sheets

557

Now you can save your document and print it on any laser
printer. You can experiment with fonts and add ruling lines and
other enhancements. Next time you have to format a set of label
sheets, you'll be able to use the same style sheet and have the
same formatting automatically applied.

Printing
Envelopes
Despite the fact that desktop publishing programs like Ventura
have greatly simplified the production of long, complex documents, it still can be surprisingly frustrating to accomplish a
simple task like printing out an envelope on your laser printer.
The purpose of this chapter is to layout a simple, yet powerful,
strategy for printing envelopes. Whether you address your envelopes one at a time or print batches of envelopes using addresses generated from a database, this procedure will make things
easier.
Let's assume that you're using Commercial #10 envelopes, also
known as legal envelopes. The dimensions of this type of envelope are 41/8 by 91/2 inches. Here is the general strategy:
• For the destination address, you'll reduce the size of the
base page frame so that it forms a "window" in which you

560

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

The return address Is a repeatIng frame, wIth
Upper Left X at 2.00 Inches, Upper Left Y at 2.50
Inches, Frame WIdth 3.50 Inches, and Frame
HeIght 1.50 Inches. (To show the boundarIes of
the frame, I've surrounded It wIth a box. Normally, there won't be any box.)

The base page Is used to hold the destInatIon address. UsIng
the SIzIng & Scaling menu, It Is shrunk down so that Its Upper Left
X Is at 5.25 Inches and Upper Left Y Is at 4.00 Inches. The Frame
WIdth Is 5.50 Inches and the Frame HeIght Is 2.00 Inches. (To
show the boundarIes of the base page frame, I've surrounded It
wIth a box. Normally, there won't be any box.)

Figure 29-1: The two frames used for the envelope are shown here. A repeating frame is

used for the return address and the base page (reduced in size) is used for the destination
address.

Chapter 29: Printing Envelopes

561

can either type addresses directly or load addresses from a

file.
• For the return address, which is optional, you'll use a
separate frame, type the text once in the frame, and make it
a repeating frame so that it automatically is placed on every
envelope when you create a batch of envelopes.
• Your style sheet will have two tags, one for the return address and one for the destination address. The destination
address tag will use a "Page Break: After" setting so that at
the end of each address, Ventura will jump to the next page.
To avoid having each line of your address end up on a different page, you'll end each line with a line break (CtrlEnter) and only use a paragraph break (Enter) at the end of
the whole address.
Now let's look at the procedure in detail.

.:.

Procedure
Load Ventura and load the DEFAULT style sheet from the
\ TYPESET directory. From the Chapter menu, select Page Size &
Layout. Layout the page for landscape orientation, letter-sized
paper, and single sides .

• The Destination Address Window
Change the dimensions of the base page frame to match the size
of your "address window," the area where you will be placing the
destination address. To change the size of the base page, select
frame mode and click on the base page. From the Frame menu,
select Sizing & Scaling. For Upper Left X enter 5.25 inches, for
Upper Left Y enter 4.00 inches, for Frame Width Enter 5.50 inches,
and for Frame Height enter 2.00 inches.

562

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• The Return Address Window
If you want to have Ventura print a return address on each envelope, draw another frame above and to the left of the destination frame. To position the frame correctly, click on the frame and
select Sizing & Scaling again. For Upper Left X enter 2.00 inches,
for Upper Left Y enter 2.50 inches, for Frame Width enter 3.50
inches, and for Frame Height enter 1.50 inches .

• Testing Positions
To test the position of the destination and return address frames
on the envelopes, switch to frame mode and click on the destination frame. From the Frame menu, select Ruling Box Around. For
Width, enter Frame; for Height of Rule 1, enter .003 inches.
Repeat this procedure to set up a ruling box around the return
address frame.
Now you can print out a sample envelope. First, open the rear
output tray of your laser printer. This will eliminate most paper
jams and keep the envelopes from curling too much. To feed
envelopes into the printer, it is not necessary to buy a special
envelope feeder. On the printers that use the Canon SX engine,
such as the LaserJet II, LaserJet lID, Apple LaserWriter IINT, and
QMS PS 810, all you have to do is adjust the guides on the manual
feed guide (the plastic hood that fits over the paper tray) so that
they fit your envelope. Insert an envelope in the guide, face up
and stamp end first. When you direct Ventura to print your page,
the LaserJet will feed the envelope instead of a sheet of paper.
Having printed an envelope, check on the position of the destination and return address frames and if necessary adjust the settings
under Sizing & Scaling in the Frame menu. Next, select Margins &
Columns in the Frame menu and make sure all margins for both
the destination and return address frames are set to O.
When you have finished adjusting the sizes of the two frames, get
rid of the ruling boxes and try entering an actual address in each
frame. Start with the return address. End each line by pressing

Chapter 29: Printing Envelopes

563

Ctrl-Enter, which has the effect of starting a new line without
starting a new paragraph. When you're done entering the return
address, create a new tag and name it "Return." For Alignment,
select Left. For Spacing, enter 0 for Space Above and 0 for In
From Left.

• Making the Return Address Repeat
To make the return address repeat on every envelope, select
frame mode, select the return address frame, and select Repeating
Frame from the Frame menu.

• Formatting the Destination Address
Now enter a sample destination address. Again, end each line by
pressing Ctrl-Enter, and this time create a new tag called "Destination." Give this tag the same Alignment and Spacing as the Return
tag.
If you are printing multiple envelopes, you want each destination
address to print on a new page. Don't try to do this using repeating frames. Instead, select Breaks from the Paragraph menu and
select Page Break: After. By using Ventura's page break feature,
you'll be able to create an envelope with a blank destination
address simply by pressing Enter.

• Saving the Style Sheet and the Chapter
Now you're done formatting the frames and tags that you'll need
to print envelopes either one at a time or in batches. Save the
style sheet and chapter you've created using the Save As New
Style and the Save As options from the File'menu. For simplicity's
sake, call them ENVELOPE.STY and ENVELOPE.CHP.
Let's say you just want to print a single envelope. The procedure
is simple: load ENVELOPE.CHP and place the cursor in the destination frame at the beginning of whatever address happens to
be in that frame. Either delete the current address or else, as
described in the following tip, press Enter to send that address to

564

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

the next frame. Now enter the address you want, ending each line
with Ctrl-Enter rather than Enter so that all the lines of the address
remain on the same page. When you're done, select Print from
the File menu, and for Which Pages select Current.

Tip·29-1-------------------

Building a Personal Mailing List
If you're like most people, you have a certain number of addresses to which you frequently send letters. If so, here's a way to
build up a collection of preaddressed envelopes. Use Save As to
create a new version of your Envelope chapter as ENVLIST. CHP.
Whenever you address an envelope, place the cursor at the beginning and press Enter to "bump" the last address to the next page.
Now enter the new destination address and print the current
page. Ifyou make a habit of always bumping the last address you
entered before addressing a new envelope, after awhile all the
addresses you repeatedly need will be in your "stack," and to
print an envelope you'll merely have to page through the stack
(using PgDn) until you get to the envelope you want to print.

•:.

Printing Multiple Envelopes
So far, we've assumed that you're entering one address at a time
directly in Ventura; however, the method described in this chapter
works just as well for a list of addresses created with a word
processor or database program.
If you create addresses with your word processor, make sure to
separate each line of the address with a line break or with 
rather than with a paragraph break. To enter a line break in
Microsoft Word, press Shift-Enter. To enter a line break in WordPerfect, type .
With dBASE, you can use the label generator and print to file, or
else use a program such as the one shown in Figure 29-2. This
program prints the addresses in California, from the file

Chapter 29: Printing Envelopes

565

* DSKPRT.PRG Print California Addresses
USE NYW INDEX NYWNAME
SET TALK OFF
SET ALTERNATE TO Envelope
SET ALTERNATE ON
CLEAR
TEST = 0
DO WHILE .NOT. EOF()
IF STATE = 'CA'
IF CNANE
"
TEST = 1
ENDIF
IF TEST = 0
? TRIM(FNAME),TRIM(MNAME),TRIM(LNAME)+
CHR(60)+'R'+CHR(62)
? TRIM(ADDRESS)+CHR(60)+'R'+CHR(62)
? TRIM(CITY)+', '+TRIM(STATE),TRIM(ZIP)+CHR(13)+
CHR(lO)
ELSE
? TRIM(FNAME),TRIM(MNAME),TRIM(LNAME)+CHR(60)+'R'+
CHR(62)
? TRIM(CNAME)+CHR(60)+'R'+CHR(62)
? TRIM(ADDRESS)+CHR(60)+'R'+CBR(62)
? TRIM(CITY)+', '+TRIM(STATE) ,TRIM(ZIP)+CBR(13)+
CHR(lO)
ENDIF
ENDIF
SKIP
TEST = 0
ENDDO
SET ALTERNATE OFF
CLOSE ALTERNATE
RETURN
Figure 29-2: A dBASE program to prepare addresses for loading into the envelope

destination frame.

566

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

NYW.DBF, indexed on NYWNAME to an ASCII disk file. Naturally
you will substitute your own DBF and NDX files. You must also
substitute your own filename choice for "Envelope." When the file
is printed to disk it will have the name ENVELOPE.1XT.
Your selection criteria should be substituted for IF STATE = 'CA'.
Notice that this program, in a simple manner, takes care of addresses that have a company name or any type of optional address
line, such as c/o (in care of). The CHR(60)+'R'+CHR(62) places a
new line character string «R» at the end of all lines except the
last line. After the ZIP field, an extra carriage return and line feed
are printed to give Ventura a paragraph break.

Tip 2 9 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

About Envelopes
Avoid feeding the following kinds of envelopes into a laser printer:
• damaged envelopes or those already run through the printer
• those with unusual construction or texture, or bulky side
seams
• those with metal clasps, strings, transparent windows
• those with peel-off or pressure-sensitive adhesives
• those with ink or dyes that can't stand 200 degrees C
• those made of synthetic materials
Make sure your envelopes have a sharp, thin crease on the leading edge. Diagonal or center-seam envelopes work the best.

Voodoo Tricks
Like any other big, powerful computer application, Ventura has
some rough edges, some mysteries. This chapter is devoted to
explaining how to fix some of the things that inexplicably go
wrong from time to time (or all the time, depending on your
particular karma) .

•:.

Crashing
There are two ways to crash. One is for Ventura to simply dump
you unceremoniously back at the DOS prompt. I call this "being
deported." The other way is for the system to simply freeze up. I
call this "being jailed." Call them what you like, these dismissals
from the good graces of the program are no fun. Fortunately,
there are some things you can do to avoid crashing.

568

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Probably the most frequent cause of crashes is a document that is
too large to hold in conventional memory. When a document is
too large, Ventura "swaps out" the excess portion of the document
to a "spill file" on your hard disk. Spill files aren't supposed to
cause crashes, but sometimes they do. Perhaps the simplest solution, at least with the base version (with the Professional Extension and EMS, it doesn't really matter), is to limit the size of your
chapters to about 20 pages. Another solution is to free up conventional memory so that there's more available for your document.
A variety of measures such as adding EMS to your system (yes, it
does help to have EMS even when you're using the base version)
are outlined in Chapter 26, "Memory Limitations and Solutions."
If a chapter you are trying to work on is frequently crashing, the
first thing you should try is to delete the VP.INF (or VPPROF.INF,
in the case of the Professional Extension) from your \ VENTURA
directory. This file becomes corrupted when Ventura crashes, and
once it is corrupted, it can lead to more crashes. After you delete
VP.INF, you'll notice that all your defaults (like whether column
guides are hidden or shown, whether the ruler is hidden or
shown, etc.) have been lost. But it's easy enough to reset them. In

Figure 30-1:

If

you click repeatedly on the Quit button, you have a
good chance of
being returned to
your document unscathed.
lold
Ital1c

~

SPlQU

STOP

$upe~
SubsC~1pt

Undtl"J:lne

ouble Undr'

Internal

S9ste~

(8815)

Error!

1. Note what 90U just did &Error ~.
2. Use Save As ••. to save 90ur work.
3. Call &Renort to Tech. Support.

St~1ke ."h~.I~:::=;r========================================~· ..• Overscore
Upper' case

Chapter 30: Voodoo Tricks

569

any case, the next time you save your chapter, you'll notice that
Ventura has created a new VP.INF.

.:.

Some Appeals are Granted
Sometimes when Ventura decides to crash, the screen simply
freezes. Other times it shows you a dialog box such as the one
shown in Figure 30-1. This dialog box may seem like a sort of
rude joke, since when you click on the Quit button you generally
get no response. But surprisingly enough, if you obsessively click
on the Quit button (20 or 30 clicks), you sometimes are
mysteriously granted clemency: the dialog box disappears, and
you're free to resume working on your document. Don't assume
that everything's OK! Those error messages meant that your
computer's memory got corrupted somehow, so what you need
to do is make a clean getaway and return when the coast is clear.
First, go into the Set Preference dialog box in the Options menu
and turn the "Keep Backup Files" option on. Save under a new
name. Exit Ventura, reboot, load Ventura again, and open the
chapter you just saved with Save As. It should be OK, but if it's
not you can rename the backup chapter file by changing the $HP
extension of the file to CHP using the DOS Rename command,
and load the chapter.

•:.

Watch Out for the Pause Button
Pressing the Pause button on some keyboards can cause the
screen to freeze up. If this happens, pressing either Delete key
will release you from bondage .

•:.

Post-Crash Hard Disk Cleanup
When Ventura freezes up, you usually have to press Ctrl-Alt-Del
or even turn off the computer to resume work. Either way, you
often end up with lost clusters on your hard disk, which are the
remnants of temporary files created by the program. To get rid of

570

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

these lost clusters type CHKDSK IF. This will convert the lost
clusters into files, which you can then delete .

•:.

Those Disappearing Screen Fonts
(DOS/GEM Version)
One of the nice new features of Ventura is that it can display large
screen fonts (72 points or more) at their actual size. Sometimes,
however, the program suddenly loses the ability to display these
large screen fonts (usually due to a lack of sufficient memory for
the screen buffer to hold the fonts). When this happens, the first
thing to do is to delete the VGAFSTR.INF or EGAFSTR.INF file
from your \ VENTURA directory. Usually that will solve the problem. To make sure it doesn't happen again, you might experiment
with increasing the size of your screen font buffer using the IF
switch in the VP.BAT file, as explained in Chapter 23, "Speed
Tips."

.:.

Backup Files
If you've had the Back Up Copy option on (did you read the
"Safety Tips" chapter?), then you have an extra level of insurance
in case a chapter refuses to load or continually crashes. Find the
file with the same name as your chapter (eHP) file but with the
extension $HP. This is the previous version of your chapter file.
Delete the CHP file and rename the $HP file so that it has the
extension CHP. Now reload .

•:.

Redrawing the Screen with Esc
Sometimes "junk" such as stray characters or ruling lines accumulates on the screen. Or when you highlight a passage of text and
then attempt to highlight a different passage, the first passage
stays highlighted. In any such case where the screen display becomes degraded, pressing Esc will cause it to redraw. There are

Chapter 30: Voodoo Tricks

571

other ways to redraw the screen, such as pressing PgDn and then
PgUp, or clicking on the scroll bar, but press Esc is the quickest .

•:.

A Totally Scrambled Screen
If you've installed Hotshot's screen capture utility (GRAB) with a
Wyse WY-700, you're in for a rude surprise the first time you
press the hot key (Alt-H). The screen suddenly turns into complete chaos. To eliminate the chaos, press F2 and proceed as
usual.

.:.

Delete Key Won't Work
On some keyboards, one of the delete keys won't work. If this
happens to you, try using the delete key on the numeric keypad.

Sometimes the text cursor refuses to respond when you press the
arrow keys, making it hard to edit your document. The reason this
is happening is that you accidentally pressed the Shift-Ctrl combination, putting Ventura into its "no mouse" mode where the
arrow keys substitute for the movement of the mouse. To get
back into Ventura's regular mode, press Shift-Ctrl again, using the
Shift and the Ctrl keys on the right side of the keyboard .

•:.

Disappearing Formats
Sometimes when you load Ventura, you'll find that words or
phrases that were formatted to be italic or bold have mysteriously
lost their formatting. The most common reason is that you have
placed an index mark or an anchor mark within the word, causing everything after the mark to lose its formatting. The only
solution is to avoid placing such marks within formatted text.

572

.:.

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Fixing an Isolated Paragraph Mark
After you load text into Ventura, you'll sometimes notice a blank
line with nothing on it but the paragraph sign (1). This happens if
there is a space after the period in the last sentence of a paragraph. To get rid of the unwanted blank line, select text mode,
place the cursor in front of the paragraph mark, and press Backspace .

•:.

Things that Go Beep in the Night
When you're loading text, you may hear a beep. This occurs if
there are more than 128 text files in the directory from which you
are loading text. The purpose of the beep is to notify you that
only the first 128 files in the directory are being listed .

•:.

Problems Changing Text Attributes
Sometimes when you try to apply text attributes to a word or
phrase, using the list of attributes in the text mode sidebar, you'll
find that the attributes won't take effect. The first thing to do is to
press Esc, which will cause the screen to redraw. The next thing
you should do is highlight the passage, select Normal from the list
of attributes, and then 'select your attributes again. If this does not
work, the problem is that hidden attribute settings are preempting
the attributes you wish to apply to the text. For example, when
you highlight a passage and select Bold, the text will remain in
italics. In that case, position the cursor just in front of the material
you are attempting to reformat and press Del. You'll know you're
in the right location when you see the words "Attr. Setting" in the
lower left corner of the screen.

Chapter 30: Voodoo Tricks

.:.

573

Create a Null Paragraph Before Inserting Text
Sometimes when you try to paste a block of text from the clipboard into a new location, the text inexplicably takes on the
attributes of the paragraph immediately above it or - equally annoying - applies its attributes to the preceding paragraph. The
solution is to create a null paragraph at the insertion spot (by
pressing Enter once) and format this paragraph as Body Text
(usually pressing FlO in text mode will work), then press Ins to
paste the text from the clipboard .

•:.

Moving Large Blocks of Text Within a Chapter
If you want to move a small passage of text from one place to
another, you simply highlight the text by holding down the
mouse button while you drag the cursor across the passage, press
Del, move the cursor to the new insertion point, and press Ins. If
the passage spans more than one page, however, you have a
problem, since it's not possible to highlight more than one page
of text at a time. The solution is to temporarily change the Body
Text tag to a very small point size, such as two or three points.
You can then highlight the entire passage, press Del, move to the
insertion point, press Ins, then change the tag back to the normal
font size .

•:.

Amaze Your Friends by Customizing
Ventura's Menus! (DOS/GEM Version)
Did you buy the English-language version of Ventura because
there's no version for your language? Do you want to have a
special version of Ventura that contains obscene, insulting error
messages? Do you feel like changing the Desk menu so that Walter J. Fudd is listed as one of the members of the Ventura
programming team? It's all up to you, since the text strings used
for the titles and contents of Ventura's menus are all located in
two easily edited text files called VP.RSC and VP.RSl (or

574

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Figure 30-2: As shown here ("Whims" substituted for "Options" on the menu line)
you can change the titles of Ventura's menus by editing the vp.Rse and VP.RSJ
files. Will this make you more productive? Definitely not. Will playing with your
vp.Rse and VP.RSJ files cause Ventura to crash? Quite possibly. Is it something you
should waste your time doing just so your friends and associates will call you a
nerd? Of course.
VPPROF.RSC and VPPROF.RSI for the Professional Extension). Be
forewarned, however: messing around with these files can
easily cause Ventura to crash the next time you load it!
Still, if you back up any altered files you change before proceeding, you should be able to recover in case you make a mistake.
To change one of the files (after backing it up), load the file into
your text processor and substitute any characters for the text
strings in the file, but keep the length of any character strings you
change exactly the same. For example, as shown in Figure 30-2,
I've changed the name of my Options menu to "Whims," byediting VPPROF.RSl. Since the word Whims has only five letters,
while Options has seven, I added two blank spaces after Whims
so that the new text string kept the same number of characters as
the old text string.
When you're done making your replacements, save the file (unformatted, of course), then reload Ventura.

Using Ventura

Without a Mouse
The premise of this chapter - that anyone would even consider
using Ventura without a mouse - may strike you as silly. Frequently, however, people want to start using the program before
they have had time to purchase a mouse, or they're having some
difficulty configuring Ventura for use with a particular mouse and
want to get started anyway. This chapter is intended for those
who find themselves sans mouse, for whatever reason .

•:.

Windows Version
In the Windows version, there's no way to cursor around the
screen without having a mouse installed. The only thing you can
do is press Alt F X, which takes you into the File menu and then
selects the Exit command. Because you can't move around the
screen in the Windows version, it really isn't practical to use this

576

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Table 31- 1: Keyboard Equivalents
for Mouse Operations (DOS/GEM version)
Assign function keys (from any mode) . . . . . . . . .
.Ctrl-K
Call up most recent menu
.Ctrl-X
Cancel a menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.Ctrl-X
Click the mouse button . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Home
Copy text, graphics, or frames to the clipboard
. Shift-Del
Cut text, graphics, or frames to the clipboard
· . Del
Edit special Item
Ctrl-D
Fill Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
· Ctrl-F
Goto page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ctrl-G
Hide sidebar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
· .. Ctrl-W
Hide tabs and returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
· ... Ctrl-T
Insert text, graphics, or frames from the clipboard
· . . . . Ins
Insert special item . . . . . . . . . .
· .. Ctrl-C
Line attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
· ... Ctrl-L
Move the cursor in finer Increments
. . Shift-Cursor
Press and hold the mouse button .. .
· ... End
Release the mouse button
· .. Home
Renumber chapter ... .
.Ctrl-B
Save chapter . . . . . . .
. . Ctrl-S
Select" Add New Frame" .
.Ctrl-2
Select" Add New Tag"
.Ctrl-2
Select Enlarged view .
.Ctrl-E
Select frame mode ..
Ctrl-U
Select graphics mode
.Ctrl-P
Select tagging mode .
· Ctrl-l
Select text editing mode .
Ctrl-O
Select Reduced view .
. .Ctrl-R
Select Normal view .
Ctrl-N
Select OK In a menu .
· Enter
Select "Set Font"
.Ctrl-2
Select "Ins New Table"
.Ctrl-2
Send graphic to back
.Ctrl-Z
Send graphic to front .
. . . . . .
Ctrl-A
Select all graphics In the frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ctrl-Q

Chapter 31: Using Ventura Without a Mouse

577

version without a mouse. It's a different story in the DOS/GEM
version, however.

•:.

General Operations (DOS/GEM version)
• To get around the screen without a mouse, use the up and
down cursor keys. The cursor will move in discrete jumps.
To get more precise positioning, hold down the Shift key
while you move the cursor keys. The cursor will move
much more slowly and in smaller increments.
• In situations where you'd need to click the button on the
mouse, press the Home key.
• In situations where you'd need to hold down the button on
the mouse, such as dragging a frame or a graphic, press
End. Then to "release" the button on the mouse, press
Home.
• Use the keyboard shortcuts shown in Table 31-1 to avoid
continually traveling to the menu line .

•:.

Special Techniques (DOS/GEM version)
• When you first boot up the program, you should be able to
move the cursor around the screen using the cursor keys
instead of the mouse. If not, hold down the Shift key on the
right side of the keyboard while pressing Ctrl.
• To create a new tag, press Ctrl-I to select tagging mode.
Place the cursor within a paragraph and press Home to
select the paragraph. Then press Ctrl-2 to select Add New
Tag.
• To get rid of a menu you have pulled down, move the cursor outside the menu and press Home.
• To draw a frame, select frame mode with Ctrl-U, press Ctrl-2
to select Add New Frame, move the cursor to the upper left
corner of the new frame, press End, cursor to the lower
right corner, and press Home.

578

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

• To move a frame, place the cursor inside it and press End,
then move the cursor to the new location and press Home.
• To stretch a frame, place the cursor over one of the small
black squares that function as grabber marks. Press Endthe cursor should change to a pointing finger, allowing you
to stretch the edge of the frame by moving the cursor keys.
If the cursor does not change to a pointing hand, hold down
the Shift key while you move the cursor more carefully on
top of the grabber mark. Incidentally, it is easier to select
the comer grabber marks than the side marks. When you've
finished stretching the frame, press Home.
• In text editing mode, you need to use the cursor keys to
move the special text editing cursor, which is different from
the normal cursor. The text editing cursor holds your place
in the text while the other cursor selects operations from
menus. To change the cursor keys so that they move the
text editing cursor rather than the regular cursor, hold down
Shift on the right side of the keyboard while pressing Ctr!'
• To activate Set Font in text editing mode, press Ctrl-2 .

•:.

Editing VP.BAT (DOS/GEM version)
If your mouse doesn't work, it may be that you selected the
wrong kind of mouse during Ventura's installation procedure.
Rather than go through the whole procedure again, you can install a different mouse by editing the VP.BAT or the VPPROF.BAT.
Load VP.BAT or VPPROF.BAT into your word processor and look
at the part that says "M=XX," where XX is a two-digit number such
as 01,21, etc. The first digit stands for the port used by the mouse:
o for COM1, 1 for COM2, and 2 or 3 for ports other than the COM
ports. The second digit stands for the type of mouse: 1 for a
Mouse Systems or PC Mouse, 2 for any other type of mouse that
uses MOUSE.COM or MOUSE.SYS, 3 for the Microsoft Serial
mouse, and a colon (:) instead of a number for an IBM PS/2
mouse. Change the two-digit number, save the file (unformatted),
and type VP or VPPROF to load Ventura again.

SECTION

SEVEN

Appendices

Appendix A
Resources

Ventura wasn't designed to serve as a stand-alone, all-in-one solution. To really get the most out of the program, you'll need other
software and hardware tools. Fortunately, Ventura's popularity
has made it the focal point of a mini-industry of printers, highresolution monitors, scanners, graphics programs, fonts, font-editing tools, clip art libraries, special-purpose utilities, user groups,
magazines, video training tapes, and much more. This appendix is
intended to serve as a sort of traveler's guide to that industry. In
some cases our notes are extensive; in other cases we provide no
more than an address. Be aware that the information was assembled during Summer and Fall, 1990, and that most products in
the computer industry are updated every year or two. As Stewart
Brand, publisher of the Whole Earth Software Catalog, so aptly
put it, trying to keep up with the computer industry is like "trying
to count the fragments of an exploding hand grenade." So, happy
shopping, and don't forget to keep your flak jacket on!

582

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

ArtRight Images

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts

Clip Art

font tools
graphIcs software
monItors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt prInters
(300 dPO
PostScrIpt prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO
other prInters
prInter controllers
scanners

Adonis Corporation
12310 NE 8th St.
Bellevue, WA 98005
206/747-8186
The company runs a service that
provides you with a Windows
program for quickly browsing
through over 20,000 images of
clip art. You can then receive individual images via modem for
$4 to $20 each. The catalog includes libraries from numerous
companies. In addition to the
downloading fee, there is a $35
annual membership fee.

ArtRight Software Corporation
1130 Morrison Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K2H 9N6
613/820-1000
613/820-2651 fax
These collections are available in
Corel Draw (CDR) and EPS formats.

Atech Clip-Art
Atech Software
5962 La Place Court
Carlsbad, CA 92008
800/748-5657
619/438-6883
There are three PCX collections
of 50 images each: Business Fun,
People, and Holidays.

utilitIes
user groups
bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazInes
style sheets
traInIng
PostScrIpt servIce
bureaus
other resources

ArtDisks 1-7

AtlasPC

DVFranks
3721 Sue Ellen Dr.
Raleigh, NC 27604
919/872-5379
919/878-6123 fax
The topics of ArtDisks 1-7 are
buildings, landscapes, and decor;
people, animals, and birds;
humor and wit; aquatic life;
works of art; and Christian images. They appear to be scanned
from old books, and all are in
MacPaint format except Works of
Art (PICT II format) and Christian
Images (EPS format). Available
on IBM disks.

MicroMaps
P.O. Box 757
Lambertville, NJ 08530
609/397-1611
800/334-4291
There aren't a lot of maps in
these collections, but the quality
is excellent. You'll find maps of
u.s. states showing county boundaries and major cities, and maps
of each continent showing
country borders. The formats are
EPS and PCX, and all the collections are available on IBM disks.

583

Appendix A: Resources

Canned Art: Clip Art for
the Macintosh
Peachpit Press
1085 Keith Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94708

staplers, phones, computers, etc.)
is superb. The other collections
are so-so. All are available on
IBM disks. For samples, see
Chapter 17, "Clip Art."

The Church Art Works
875 High Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
503/370-9377
503/362-5231 fax
Five volumes of images in TIFF
format are available on IBM
disks: Youth Art, Church Life,
Sports, Holidays & Seasons, and
Books of the Bible.

ClickArt Collections
T/MakerCo.
1390 Villa Street
Mountain View, CA 94041
415/962-0195
415/962-0201 fax
Some of these clip art collections
are in EPS format, others in MacPaint format. The quality of the
EPS Business Art collection (pictures of objects like scissors,

PostScript fonts
font tools

415/527-8555

800/283-9444
415/524-9775 fax
This is not a collection of clip art.
Rather, it's a 900-page book
(published by yours truly) that
shows the contents of approximately 800 clip art collections from over 35 clip art vendors-approximately 15,000 images in all. The size and format of
each disk are listed, as well as
whether the disk is available in
Mac and/or IBM format. The
book includes a large topic
index, to help you locate the particular piece of clip art you need.

clip art
LaserJet fonts

Cliptures
Dream Maker Software
7217 Foothill Blvd.
Tujunga, CA 91042
Two volumes of business-related
images in EPS format on IBM
disks.

Designer ClipArt
Micrografx, Inc.
1303 Arapaho
Richardson, 1X 75081
2141234-1769
This collection includes 30 clip
art packages from business images and borders to holidays,
maps, and religious icons for use
with Micrografx Draw, Graph, or
Designer.

graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpf)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpf)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines

DeskTop Art/EPS

style sheets

Dynamic Graphics
6000 N. Forest Park Dr.
Peoria, IL 61614
309/688-8800
800/255-8800
309/688-3075 fax
This is themed clip art in Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) format
on IBM disks. For samples, see
Chapter 17, "Clip Art." Dynamic
GraphicS also puts out a bitmapped collection.

training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

584

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners

Digit-Art LaserGraphics

in most other collections, but the

Image Club Graphics
#5, 1902 - 11th Street SE
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2G 3G2
403/262-8008
800/661-9410
403/261-7013!ax
Currently, Volumes 1-15 of the
Digit-Art collection of clip art are
available in EPS format on IBM
disks. In contrast to some clip art
collections, which seem dated
the Image Club illustrations ar~
innovative and contemporary.
Since the volumes are not rigidly
organized by category, you'll
need to write for the Image Club
catalog before selecting. For
samples, see Chapter 17, "Clip
Art."

borders are very useful. For a
sample, see Chapter 17, "Clip
Art."

Graphics Gallery 2.0
Hewlett-Packard Personal
Software Division
3410 Central Expressway
Santa Clara, CA 95051
408/749-9500
This program comes with 300 images, which range from simple
shapes to an elegant, classical set
of "initial caps" (fancy capital letters). Thousands of additional
clip art images are available for
$95 per set. These work only
with HP Graphics Gallery
software.

utlfltles
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

Dimensions, Natural
Images
Artbeats
P.O. Box 20083
San Bernardino, CA 92406
7141881-1200
The Dimension package contains
high-tech images and Natural Images represent wood grain stars
flowers, and water drops. 'Thes~
are all-over designs, intended for
use as backgrounds. Each EPS
design comes in a high and a low
contrast version for IBM or Mac.

GEM Draw

Business Library
Digital Research, Inc.
60 Garden Court, Box DR!
Monterey, CA 93942
800/443-4200
Drawn with GEM Draw, these
images are not as good as those

High Resolution Image
Libraries
Network Technology Corp.
6825 Lamp Post Lane
Alexandria, VA 22306
703/765-4506

Images with Impact!
3G Graphics
11410 N.E. 124th Street
Suite 6155
Kirkland, WA 98034
206/367-9321
800/456-0234
Over 500 high-resolution, EPS
images (on IBM disks) are
grouped into Graphics & Symbols, Business, and Accents &
Borders series. The quality is acceptable, but not great.

585

Appendix A: Resources

Mac-Art Library
Kentary, Inc.
P.O. Box 3155
Englewood, CO 80155
303/791-2077
This is a 12-disk library of MacPaint clip art on Macintosh disks.
Topics include animals, farm life,
geography, kitchen, sports, tools,
buildings, flowers, trees, plants,
greeting cards, people, transportation, signs, symbols, and borders. Check with the manufacturer to see whether it is available
on IBM disks.

Mac the Knife
Miles Computing
5115 Douglas Fir Road
Suite I
Calabash, CA 91302
818/340-6300
Although Miles Computing offers
a variety of disks, the only one
available on IBM disks is Mac the
Knife 6: Taking Care of Business.
The images appear to be scanned
from old books and are in MacPaint format.

Metro ImageBase
Electronic Art
Metro ImageBase, Inc.
18623 Ventura Blvd. #210
Tarzana, CA 91356
818/881-1997
800/525-1552
This is a superb and very large
collection of clip art in TIFF, IMG,
and PCX formats, all available on
IBM disks. It is derived from the
collection of Metro Creative
Graphics, a long-time clip art
supplier that boasts a library of
over a million images. Packages

include seasons and holidays, exercise and fitness, weekend
sports, team sports, business
graphics, computers and technology, art deco, borders and boxes,
food, people, and travel. A utility
for conversion between formats
comes with each package. For
examples, see Chapter 17, "Clip

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools
graphIcs software
monItors

Art."

LaserJet-compatlble
prInters

Migraph, Inc.

PostScript printers
(300 dpl)

200 South 333rd St. #200
Federal Way, WA 98003
206/838-4677
206/838-4702 fax
This company has two collections. ScanArt is in IMG format,
and DrawArt Professional is in
GEM format. Of the two, the
DrawArt images are of somewhat
higher quality.

PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
prInter controllers
scanners
utilitIes
user groups

Moonlight ArtWorks

bulletin boards

Hired Hand Design
3608 Faust Ave.
Long Beach, CA 90808
213/429-2936
This company offers three excellent collections of simple logos
and symbols, all in EPS format on
IBM disks.

newsletters and
magazines

ProArt Professional Art
Library
Multi-Ad Services
1720 W. Detweiller Drive
Peoria, 1161615
309/692-1530
800/447-1950
309/692-8378 fax
These collections, all in EPS format on IBM disks, cover business, holidays, sports, bor-

style sheets
traInIng
PostScrIpt servIce
bureaus
other resources

586

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools

ders/headings, food, and people.
In general, they're among the
most professionally rendered clip
art available. If you need a a consistently "commercial" look, this
is a great collection.

graphIcs software
monItors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScrIpt service
bureaus
other resources

PS Portfolio
Ltek, Inc.
4546 BI0 El Camino Real
Los Altos, CA 94022
415/361-0652

Publisher's PicturePak
Marketing Graphics
Incorporated
4401 Dominion Blvd. #210
Glen Allen, VA 23060-3379
8041747-6991
The clip art in this collection is in
PCX and CGM format. Five editions are available: Executive and
Management, Finance and
Administration, Sales and Marketing, and Federal and State
Government. Each contains approximately 200 pictures. For examples, see Chapter 17, "Clip
Art."

Spectrum Clip Art
The Dover Clip An Collection
6520 Edenvale Blvd., Suite 118
Glen Lake, MN 55346
800/727-9724
6500 images in PCX, EPS, and AI
format on CDROM.

Stephen & Associates
Clip Art Collection
Stephen & Associates
5205 Kearny Villa Way
Suite 104
San Diego, CA 92123
619/571-5624
Thirty collections of clip art in
PCX format: semiconductor images, architectural and hydraulicpneumatic symbols, music, wild
animals, sports, religion, etc.
Available on IBM disks.

Studio Advertising Art
4305 East Sahara Avenue #1
Las Vegas, NV 89104

702/641-7041
800/453-1860 ext. R-641
These images are all in EPS format on IBM disks. The quality is
good and the themes are varied.
Of particular note is the Road &
Warning Signs collection. Note
that Studio also has a quarterly
subscription service, with 50 images in each release for $40.

The Underground
Grammarian
p.o. Box 203
Glassboro, NJ 08028
609/589-6477
The ten volumes of Typographers' Ornaments sold by this
company (all in EPS format) are
without a doubt the finest computer clip art available. The
remaining collections, all in TIFF
format, are not particularly exciting except the Will Bradley disk.
All the collections offered by this
company are available on IBM
disks.

587

Appendix A: Resources

clip art

Visatex
1745 Dell Ave.
Campbell, CA 95008
408/866-6562
800/722-3729
Visatex has two collections, one
of u.s. presidents and the other
of Hollywood greats. They're
both in MacPaint format on IBM
disks.

Vivid Impressions
Casady & Greene, Inc.
p. O.

Box 223779

Carmel, CA 93923
408/624-8716
800/359-4920
408/624-7865 fax
The Vivid Impressions Volume 1
is a collection of 130 EPS clip art
images on IBM disks. The theme
of the collection is holidays and
festive events.

Works of Art
Springboard Software
7808 Creekridge Circle
Minneapolis, MN 55435
6121944-3915
800/445-4780
Although the quality of these
MacPaint images (all available on
IBM disks) is not that great, the
price ($40-$50 per disk) and the
diversity and sheer quantity of
images make up for it. Includes
everything from skaters to
skeletons, with lots in between.
Some terrific scary monsters on
the Holiday disk.

Laser]et
Fonts

LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software

Acorn Plus Inc.

monitors

4219 West Olive #2011
Burbank, CA 91505

LaserJet-compatible
printers

213/879-5237
This company sells a number of
bitmapped fonts, the most
notable of which is its Computer
Keys, Reversed font.

PostScript printers
(300 dpQ
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpQ
other printers

Adobe Type Library
Adobe Systems Inc.
1585 Charleston Rd.
P.O. Box 7900
Mountain View, CA 94039-7900
800/833-6687
The newest version of the Adobe
Type Library includes a utility
called Font Foundry that will
convert any of 153 different
Adobe PostScript typeface packages into LaserJet format. It will
also install the fonts into Ventura
and create matching screen fonts.

Agfa Compugrapbic
90·Industrial Way
Wilmington, MA 01887
800/873-3668
Compugraphic's fonts are in outline format compatible with the
Type Director font generator or
with the HP LaserJet III printer.
Generally not as good as Bitstream's fonts.

printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

588

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art

LoserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners

Bitstream, Inc.
215 First St.
Cambridge, .MA 02142
617/497-7514

800/522-3668
617/868-4732 fax
This is the company that created
the Swiss and Dutch faces provided with Ventura, along with
the Fontware font generation kit
(see "font tools" below).
Bitstream dominates the LaserJet
font market, for good reason: the
quality is unsurpassed, the selection currently includes 207 faces
and continues to grow, and
prices are falling! For full-page
samples of the 50 leading
Bitstream fonts, check out Peachpit's book TypeStyle.

utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

Digi-Fonts, Inc.
3000 Youngfield St. #285
Lakewood, co 80215
800/242-5665
This company offers a font
generation kit and 272 font outlines for the LaserJet II and scalable font outlines for the LaserJet
III. The installation program for
Ventura costs an additional $40.
The quality is very good, though
not as good as Bitstream or Font
Factory fonts. Prices are very low.

is provided with the fonts. Over
16 typeface families available.

Font Factory Fonts
The Font Factory
P.O. Box 5429
Kingwood, TX 77339
713/358-6954
This company's fonts come with
width tables and an installation
utility for Ventura. They work in
conjunction with the FontMaker
font generating program, which
produces bitmapped fonts for
screen and printer, and scalable
fonts for the LaserJet III. The Plus
series is especially useful because
it matches the standard typefaces
found in PostScript printers.

Hewlett-Packard Fonts
Boise Division
P.O. Box 15
Boise, ID 83707
208/323-6000
800/538-8787
Hewlett-Packard's Intellifont outline fonts work with the Type
Director
font
generator,
described in "Font Tools" below.
Several dozen typefaces are
available, and type director lets
you make fonts for the Ventura
International and other character
sets.

FontCenter Fonts
Jim Boemler
509 Marin St. #227
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
805/373-1919
The quality of these inexpensive
fonts is superb, though you'll
have to generate your own width
tables. A font downloading utility

The LaserJet Font Book
Peachpit Press
1085 Keith Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94708
415/527-8555

800/283-9444
415/524-9775 fax

589

Appendix A: Resources

This is the only full-fledged type
specimen book for LaserJet fonts.
It shows samples of hundreds of
LaserJet fonts, provides advice on
selecting and using fonts, and
rates the comparative quality of
the various font vendors.

LJ Fonts
Weaver Graphics
5165 South Highway AlA
Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
407/728-4000
407/728-5978 fax
Weaver's high-quality bitmapped
fonts include sizes from 6 to 72
points. They come with Ventura
width tables (WID files), matching screen fonts, kerning information, and a portrait-to-Iandscape conversion program.

Mephistopheles Systems
Design
3629 Lankershim Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90068
818/762-8150
Unlike most LaserJet fonts, these
fonts are actually licensed from
the original developer, Linotype.
(So they can really call them by
their tme names, such as Times
Roman and Helvetica, instead of
using substitute names such as
Dutch and Swiss.) The quality is
good, and each set comes with
an installation utility that automatically installs the fonts in Ventura, Windows, WordPerfect, and
other programs.

Metro Software
2509 N. Campbell #214
Tucson, AZ 85719
602/299-7313
800/621-1137
Metro Software's fonts work with
its FontPack font generating program. Each disk comes with one
master font, which you can scale,
slant, shadow, and otherwise manipulate.

MicroLogic Software, Inc.
6400 Hollis Street, Suite 9
Emeryville, CA 94608
800/888-9078
415/652-70 79 fax
These fonts work with the MoreFonts font generator, described in
"Font Tools" below. They can be
used with either the LaserJet II or
the LaserJet III.

SWFTE
PO. Box 5773
Wilmington, DE 19808
302/658-1123
800/237-9383
SWFTE's fonts can be generated
with its Glyphix font generator
but the company has not yet
released an expected on-the-fly
font generator for the DOS/GEM
version of Ventura. Look for a an
on-the-fly font generator for Windows. The quality has improved
significantly since earlier versions
of the program, though it is still
not as good as Bitstream and
Font Factory fonts.

clip art

LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools
graphIcs software
monItors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt prInters
(300 dpQ
PostScrIpt prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dpQ
other printers
prInter controllers
scanners
utilitIes
user groups
bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazInes
style sheets
traInIng
PostScrIpt servIce
bureaus
other resources

590

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art

LoserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpD
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpD
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

Typefoundry Series
Standard Series
Leonard Storch Series
SoftCraft, Inc.
16 North Carroll Street
Suite 500
Madison, WI 53 703
800/257-2300
SoftCraft sells scalable fonts in
Bitstream's Fontware format and
also has a large library of bitmapped fonts in LaserJet format.
Among the scalable fonts are the
most commonly used serif and
sans serif faces as well as some
decorative ones. The bitmapped
fonts include a number of unusual typefaces: Olde English,
Formal, Script, Computer, Calligrapher, Chess, Twist, Shadow,
Accents and Ligatures, Copyright
and Symbols, Math Symbols,
Cyrillic, French Classic, Spanish
Classic, International Phonetic
German, Greek, Indic, Nouveau:
Hebrew, Proto-IndoEuropean,
Classic Shadow, Modern, Vertical
Borders, LCD, Outline, Caribbean, Code/OCR, Orbit, Elegant
Script, Optical, Hershey Oriental,
Japanese, Manual Alphabet, and
Music. In the less common
typefaces, point sizes are quite
limited.
A new series of high-quality
bitmap
fonts
from
Storch
Enterprises in addition to Times
Roman and Helvetica has Futura
Old Anglo, Dunhigh, and decora~
tive and special effects like outline, 3-D, patterned, and reverse
type. Point sizes are limited,
however.

VN Labs
4320 Campus Dr. #114
Newport Beach, CA 92660
7141474-6968
This company offers a Ventura
Package for $225 per langauge
that includes screen drivers and
characters as well as fonts in 1012-, and 18-point sizes for a par~
ticular. Languages include Arabic,
Cyrillic, Farsi, French, German,
Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Polish,
Portuguese, Russian, Spanish,
Turkish, and Vietnamese.

VS Library of Fonts
Compugraphic/ITC
Library

vs Software

p.o. Box 165920
Little Rock, AR 72216
501/376-2083
501/372-7075 fax
These fonts are considered
among the easiest to install of
any LaserJet fonts. The quality of
the Compugraphic/ITC Library is
first-rate; the VS Library is not as
good. The company provides, to
anyone who requests it, the most
complete and useful font catalog
of any developer. Fonts are packaged in Libraries, Families and
FontPaks including Designer Collection, Executive Type Classics,
Times/Triumvirate Combo, Executive Headlines, and Ventura
Supplemental FontPak. The Ventura Supplemental FontPak is
especially useful because it
provides the missing medium,
italic, bold, and bold italic fonts
in Dutch and Swiss for 6- 8- 1012-, 14-, 18-, 20,- 24-, ~nd 30~
point sizes. All VS fonts include

591

Appendix A: Resources

width tables (WID files) and
screen fonts for Ventura. The
Laser Word Processor Tool Kit installs the fonts and allows drivers
to be generated for popular word
processors.

PostScript
Fonts
Adobe Type Library
Adobe Systems Inc.
P. O. Box 7900
Mountain View, CA 94039
415/962-2000
The Adobe Type Library comprises a large selection of fonts
(currently over 600 typefaces),
most of which are classic designs
licensed from the Allied and ITC
collections. It includes ITC
American Typewriter, ITC Avant
Garde, ITC Benguiat, ITC Bookman, Courier, ITC Fritz Quadrata,
ITC Galliard, ITC Garamond,
Glypha, Goudy Old Style, Helvetica, Helvetica Black, Helvetica
Condensed, Helvetica Light, Helvetica Narrow, ITC Korinna, ITC
Lubalin Graph, ITC Machine,
Melior, ITC New Baskerville,
New Century Schoolbook, Optima, Palatino, Sonata, ITC
Souvenir, Symbol, Times, Tmmp
Medieval, ITC Zapf Chancery,
and ITC Zapf Dingbats. A complete catalog is free from Adobe.

Bitstream, Inc.

clip art

215 First St.
Cambridge, .MA 02142

LaserJet fonts

617/497-7514

PostScript fonts

800/522-3668
617/868-4732 fax
While Adobe is definitely the
dominant player in the PostScript
font world, Bitstream could be
described as the company that
tries harder. Bitstream's collection
of PostScript fonts is equally vast
and equally superb. The only
problem is that service bureaus
tend to stock Adobe fonts only,
so getting your documents
typeset on a Lino can be a real
problem if you don't bring your
own fonts to the typesetter.

font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpQ
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpQ
other printers
printer controllers
scanners

Fluent Laser Fonts
Casady & Greene, Inc.
26080 Carmel Rancho Blvd.
#202
Carmel, CA 93923
800/359-4920 (orders only)
408/624-8716 (information)
The Casady & Greene collection
includes original decorative faces
such as Gazelle, Kells, Abilene,
and Collegiate. More than 140
PostScript typefaces are available
in all, including six packages
such as Headlines, Classic,
Modern, and new Glasnost
(Cyrillic) fonts.

Hewlett-Packard
PostScript Fonts
Hewlett-Packard
19310 Prnneridge Avenue
Cupertino, CA 95014
800/5752-0900
HP now offers true PostScript
fonts for its LaserJet lID, lIP, III,

utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

592

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts

font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatible
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities

and IUD printers. These are
cartridge-based and include 35
typefaces in Avant Garde, ITC
Bookman, Helvetica, New Century Schoolbook, Palatino, Symbol, Times Roman, Zapf Chancery, and Zapf Dingbats, among
others.

Hot Type
Image Club Graphics Inc.
#5, 1902 - 11th Street SE
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2G 3G2
403/262-8008
800/661-9410
403/261-7013fax
Image Club sells four sets of PostScript fonts on PC disks. Most are
decorative typefaces such as
Brass, Surfstyle, Compacto, Sofa,
Scoreboard, and Rubber Stamp.

user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

MacTography PostScript
Type Sampler
MacTography
702 Twinbrook Parkway
Rockville, MD 20851
301/424-1357
This is a catalog showing of type
specimens for over 17 different
PostScript font vendors. It includes over 800 fonts, which can
be purchased either from the
vendor of the fonts or through
MacTography. The catalog indicates which fonts are available in
IBM format.

Font Tools
Adobe Type Manager for
Windows
Adobe Systems Inc.
P.O. Box 7900
Mountain View, CA 94039
415/962-2000
This program works with Windows programs, creating scalable
fonts onscreen from PostScript
printer fonts.

BackLoader
LaserTools Corporation
1250 45th St. #100
Emeryville, CA 94608
415/420-8777
415/420-1150 fax
Formerly sold by Roxxolid, this
utility downloads LaserJet and
DeskJet fonts in the background
while you continue working.

Bitstream Fontware
Installation Kit
Bitstream, Inc.
215 First St.
Cambridge, MA 02142
800/522-3668
617/497-6222
Bitstream's Fontware Installation
Kit, which can generate either
LaserJet or PostScript fonts, as
well as corresponding screen
fonts, is provided free with Ventura Publisher. The program
creates fonts that are optimized
for professional quality at all
sizes and resolutions, so that
what is seen on the screen

593

Appendix A: Resources

matches printed output. Once
created, the fonts are stored on
hard disk and are accessible from
the Xerox Ventura Publisher
screen menu.
The Fontware Library features
over 200 professional quality
typefaces in a variety of weights
and styles. Each Fontware typeface package contains four individual typefaces: some have
four weights of one typeface
family (roman, italic, bold, and
bold italic), others have a combination of two or more faces in
one or more weights.
For more information on Fontware, see Chapter 22, "Font
Tools."

FaceUft for Windows
Bitstream, Inc.
215 First St.
Cambridge, .MA 02142
800/522-3668
617/497-6222
This program creates scalable
screen fonts on the fly for printer
fonts in Bitstream's Speedo format. It also replaces the functions
of Fontware by creating fonts
from master outlines and
downloading them to the printer.

FontGen V

clip art

VS Software
PO. Box 165920
Little Rock, AR 72216
501/376-2083
This is a font editing program
that can be used to create, merge,
and scale fonts in LaserJet format
from any bitmap font. It provides
a window in which editing is
done one character at a time. Alternatively, the entire font can be
viewed and edited at once, using
various editing tools to generate
and manipulate character bit
rna ps-down to the level of a
single pixel. A handbook on
typefaces, fonts, and "how-to" for
creating and changing fonts
comes with the package. FG V
also accepts graphics in PCX,
IMG, and TIFF formats.

LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts

font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compotlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpf)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups

Font Library Manager
VS Software
PO. Box 165920
Little Rock, AR 72216
501/376-2083
This utility compresses fonts and
stores them in a special file. You
can then download them as
needed to the printer by making
selections from a menu.

fontART

FontMaker

Creative Software & Systems
7127 Laurel Canyon Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91605
818/764-3414
800-937-2387
The special effects font program
is described in Chapter 22, "Font
Tools."

The Font Factory
13601 Preston Road
Suite 500 West
Dallas, TX 75240
800/272-4663
FontMaker is a font generator,
similar to Bitstream's Fontware. It
is based on the GEM interface, so
typefaces and font generating options are selected from a set of

bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

594

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts

font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpQ
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpQ
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

menus that look much like Ventura's own dialog boxes. You can
generate both screen and printer
fonts in sizes from 6 to 128 points
in roman, bold, italic, and bold
italic styles. The master typeface
outlines used by the program are
licensed from ITC and Compugraphic. Currently, approximately 20 typefaces are available.
In addition to the HP LaserJet
family, the program supports the
NEC Pinwriter and Toshiba 24wire dot matrix printers. According the The Font Factory, FontMaker is "an order of magnitude"
faster than Bitstream's Fontware.

Font Solution Pack
SojtCrajt, Inc.
16 N. Carroll St., Suite 500
Madison, U7I 53 703
800/351-0500
608/257-3300
For $495 you can get all the features of over a dozen other SoftCraft font utilities. These include
Font Special Effects, Laser Fonts,
Spinfont, and WYSIfonts!, enabling you to generate, install,
edit, pattern, and customize fonts
for any HP compatible printer. All
options are menu-driven.

disk space needed to store a font
by at least 50 percent and for
large fonts as much as 97 percent.

Font Special Effects Pack
SojtCrajt, Inc.
16 N. Carroll St., Suite 500
Madison, U7I 53 703
800/351-0500
608/257-3300
Font Special Effects lets you take
any Bitstream font and apply special effects to it such as shadows
outlining, and patterns. It als~
lets you scale fonts and install
and manage fonts for WordPerfect, Word, and OfficeWrite.
The results can be previewed on
the screen. The program is
profiled in Chapter 22, "Font
Tools."

Glyphix
SWFTE International
P.O. Box 219
Rockland, DE 19732
800/237-9383, 302/658-1123
This font -generating program, is
similar to Bitstream's Fontware.

HPw/ESP
Esper Systems

FontSpace
Isogon Corp.
330 Seventh Ave.
New York, NY 10001
212/967-2424
212/967-3198 fax
This utility automatically compresses and decompresses LaserJet bitmapped soft fonts. Working
in a completely transparent
fashion, it reduces the amount of

P.O. Box 18470
Knoxville, TN 37928-2470
615/687-8016
This program saves room on
your hard disk by rotating LaserJet portrait fonts to landscape
orientation on the fly. It also lets
you print fonts larger than 36
points.

595

Appendix A: Resources

Laser Fonts
SoftCraft, Inc.
16 N. Carroll St., Suite 500
Madison, UI1 53703
608/257-3300
800/351-0500
Laser Fonts lets you use the Bitstream fonts provided with Ventura with WordPerfect, Microsoft
Word, or OfficeWriter. It creates
the necessary drivers for the
fonts, takes care of downloading
them to the printer, and can even
create outline and shadow fonts.

MoreFonts
Micrologic Software
6400 Hollis St. #9
Emeryville, CA 94608
800/888-9078
415/652-5464
415/652-7079!ax
This is a LaserJet font generating
program that not only generates
standard fonts of various sizes
but also allows you to create spe~
cial effects such as wood grain,
stripes, and shadows. Supports
both the LaserJet II and the LaserJet III.

Publisher's PowerPak
Atech Software
5964 la Place Court, #125
Carlsbad, CA 92008
619/438-6883
800/748-5657
This utility combines a font generator and an array of drivers for
over 300 dot-matrix, inkjet, and
laser printers, most of which are
not otherwise supported by Ventura. Its three typeface families
match Helvetica, Times Roman
and Courier, and fonts can b~

created on-the-fly in any size
from 6 to 250 points. Over 800
fonts are available. Also scales
fonts on-the-fly for the screen.
For more details, see Chapter 22,
"Font Tools"

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts

font tools
graphics software

Publisher's Type Foundry
ZSoft Corporation
450 Franklin Rd. #100
Marietta, GA 30067
4041428-0008
This font-editing program is profiled in Chapter 22, "Font Tools."

SoftCrafi Font Editor
SoftCraft, Inc.
16 N. Carroll St., Suite 500
Madison, UI1 53 703
608/257~3300

800/351-0500
This program can be used to edit
any fonts in HP LaserJet format. It
provides two windows, one
showing the font at actual size
and the other zoomed in for editing individual pixels. The program can draw lines curves
circles, and rectangles,' and ca~
also automatically slant, enlarge,
reduce, rotate, and embolden a
character.

SoftCraft Fontware
Program
SoftCraft, Inc.
16 N. Carroll St., Suite 500
Madison, UI1 53703
608/257-3300
800/351-0500
SoftCraft's version of Bitstream
Fontware has certain differences
from the version being distributed free with Ventura Pub-

monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

596

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools

graphics
software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
printer control/ers
scanners
utilities

lisher. First, it can generate larger
fonts-up to 240 points. Second,
it can create condensed, expanded, or oblique fonts. Third,
it provides greater flexibility in
deciding what characters you
want to include in your font. The
program is profiled in Chapter
22, "Font Tools."

Spinfont
SoftCraft, Inc.
16 N. Carroll St., Suite 500
Madison, WI 53 703
608/257-3300
800/351-0500
Spinfont lets you create circular,
slanted, rotated, and white-onblack text images from Bitstream
typeface outlines. The results can
be saved in PCX or TIFF formats
for loading into Ventura as a
graphic.

user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

SuperPrint
Zenographics
4 Executive Circle
Irvine, CA 92714
714/851-6352
This is a printer and screen driver
that replaces the regular Windows print driver and offers scalable type and fast printing speed.
For details, see Chapter 22, "Font
Tools."

Type Director
Hewlett-Packard Company
3000 Hanover St.
Palo Alto, CA 94303-0890
415/857-1501
This font generator is profiled in
Chapter 22, "Font Tools."

Type Studio
Adisys
25 Alexander Street #200
Vancouver, B.C. V6A 1B2
Canada
604/685-8168
With this package you can expand, condense, outline, shade,
fill rotate, tilt, and skew, as well
as generate screen fonts and new
typefaces. For use on PostScript
printers.

WYSIfonts!
SoftCraft, Inc.
16 N. Carroll St., Suite 500
Madison, WI 53 703
608/257-3300
800/351-0500
WYSIfonts! installs any LaserJet
soft font for Ventura or Microsoft
Windows and also generates
matching screen fonts. It is
profiled in Chapter 22, "Font
Tools."

Graphics
Software
1-2-3, Freelance,
Symphony, Graphwriter
Lotus Development Corporation
55 Cambridge Parkway
Cambridge, MA 02142
617/577-8500
There are various ways to import
graphics generated by these programs into Ventura. From 1-2-3,

597

Appendix A: Resources

you can save graphics with the
PIC extension and then load
them into Ventura as line art (Le.,
object graphics). Freelance and
Graphwriter also produce files in
VideoShow
format,
and
Freelance also can produce files
in CGM format. Both VideoShow
and CGM are line art formats that
can be imported into Ventura.

Arts & Letters
Computer Support Corporation
15926 Midway Rd.
Dallas, TX 75244
2141661-8960
This drawing program runs
under Windows. It is profiled in
Chapter 16, "Graphics Tools." It
comes with over 2,200 professionally drawn pieces of clip art.
It allows you to manipulate the
images by sizing, slanting, flipping, rotating, etc. Images can be
converted into EPS (with a bitmap for the screen) or CGM,
either of which can be loaded
into Ventura. A more sophisticated and powerful version of
the program that allows you to
create clip art is called the "Arts &
Letters Graphic Editor."

AutoCAD, AutoSketch
Autodesk, Inc.
2320 Marinship Way
Sausalito, CA 94965
415/332-2344
There are several ways to import
AutoCAD files into Ventura. One
is to create them in SLD (slide)
format using the ADE-2 Package
and the AutoCAD MSLIDE command. In this form they can be
imported directly into Ventura. A

second method is to save them in
AutoCAD in DXF format and then
use Ventura's DXFTOGEM utility,
located on the Utilities disk, to
convert them to GEM format.
They can then be imported into
Ventura, but will not include a
number of attributes including
shape entity, text mirroring,
curve fitting, 3D rendering, and
tapering widths in polylines. A
third avenue is via HPGL format.
If you have created a picture in
AutoCAD in landscape mode,
make sure that you rotate it
before importing it into Ventura.

clip art

Corel Draw

other printers

Corel Systems Corporation
Corel Bldg., 1600 Carling Ave.
Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 8R7
613/728-8200
613/728-9790 fax
This object-oriented graphics
program, which runs under
Microsoft Windows, is one of the
handful of graphics programs on
the PC-others include Illustrator, Micrografx Designer
and Artline-that let you draw
curves. Other features include
the ability to distort letter shapes,
draw with calligraphic pen
shapes, and fit text to a curve.
Corel Trace, a tracing utility
bundled with Corel Draw, can
trace any sort of artwork from
logos and letterforms to architectural drawings. It accepts TIFF
and PCX formats and exports EPS
files for import into Corel Draw.
Fonts can be imported from
Altsys Fontographer and ZSoft
Type Foundry, and exported to
Type Foundry for modification.
GEM, AutoCAD DXF, and HPGL

LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools

graphics
software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dPO
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO

printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

598

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Clip art

LaserJet fonts

files are supported. A detailed
description is provided in Chapter 16, "Graphics Tools."

PostScript fonts
font tools

graphics
software
monitors
LaserJet·
compatible printers
PostScript printers
(300 dPO
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

Designer
Micrografx, Inc.
1303 Arapaho
Richardson, 1X 75081
2141234-1769
800/272-3729
2141234-2410 fax
Designer is not the slug that
many Windows programs are.
Like Illustrator and Corel Draw,
the program lets you trace over
scanned bitmapped images,
creating high-resolution object
graphics. You can rotate PostScript fonts to any angle, but you
have slightly less control over
type than you have with Ardine
and Corel Draw. Designer uses
many of the same commands as
its less talented sibling, Windows
Draw, but it adds curves, the
ability to mix object-oriented and
bitmapped graphics (though you
can't edit the bitmapped
graphics), rotations, and color
mixing. Scanned images are imported to the program through
the Windows Clipboard. Objects
can be snapped together for a
perfect fit. You can connect irregularly-shaped objects and fill
them with any of the standard
patterns or a pattern of your own
design. You can give each object
a name, creating an inventory of
stock parts that you can call up at
will.
Curve drawing in Designer is
more intuitive than in Illustrator.
You can select a single curve or
all the curves in an object, add
new edit points, or delete them.

Other features include: spline
and parabolic curves, freehand
lines, squares, circles, and rectangles. You can't enter text
directly into the page, but have to
do so through a small text-editing
window. With PostScript, you
have access to 43 built-in fonts.
The program includes a clip-art
library of over 400 symbols. For
more details on this clip art collection, see Chapter 17, "Clip
Art."

Draw Plus
Micrografx, Inc.
1820 N. Greenville Ave.
Richardson, 1X 75081
212/234-1769
800/272-3729
2141234-2410 fax
Windows Draw (now Draw Plus)
was the precursor to Micrografx
Designer. While Draw is a good
general-purpose program, it pales
in comparison with Designer.

GEM Draw Plus
Digital Research Inc.
75 Garden Court, Box DR!
Monterey, CA 93940
408/649-3896
800/443-4200
This first-generation drawing program has been surpassed by the
likes of Corel Draw and
Micrografx Designer. One plus
for graphics generated with GEM
Draw Plus is that they have the
GEM extension and can be imported into Ventura as line art
(i.e., object graphics). For that
reason they do not degrade when
you scale or stretch them. The
program provides tools for creat-

599

Appendix A: Resources

ing geometric shapes such as rectangles and circles; it also includes an extensive library of images that can be cropped and
adapted. A panning feature lets
you define a portion of the
screen to work with at various
levels of magnification. Among
the features of the program are
several fonts for incorporating
text into graphics.

GEM Paint
Digital Research Inc.
70 Garden Court, Box DR!
Monterey, CA 93942
408/649-3896
800/443-4200
Not as powerful as PC Paintbmsh
Plus, GEM Paint offers a similar
set of drawing tools and saves its
files with the IMG extension in
image (i.e., bit-mapped) format.
It allows pixel editing, but at the
resolution of the screen rather
than at the 300-dpi resolution allowed by Paintbmsh.
GEM Artline
Digital Research Inc.
75 Garden Court, Box DR!
Monterey, CA 93940
408/649-3896
800/443-4200
Developed in Germany, GEM
Ardine is specifically designed to
work hand-in-hand with Ventura
and other desktop publishing applications. The program is similar
to Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw,
and Micrografx Designer in that it
allows you to create draw art,
which does not degrade when
scaled or when printed at different resolutions. One of the

strong points of the program is
that its sophisticated drawing
tools can be used not only for
freehand drawing, but to manipulate text characters. Thus, you
can create logos by applying special effects such as rotations and
obliquing to text. Tools include
scaling, coloring, rotating, mirroring, and merging one image element with another. GEM Ardine
also has a clip art library,
provides eight typestyles and includes the Bitstream Installation
Kit for additional typefaces. All
the special effects can be printed
on LaserJet as well as PostScript
printers. For more details on
Ardine, see Chapter 16, "Graphics
Tools."

clIp art
LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools

graphics
soffware
monItors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt prInters
(300 dPO
PostScrIpt prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO
other prInters
prInter controllers
scanners

Generic CADD
Generic Software, Inc.
11911 North Creek Pkwy. South
Bothell, WA 98011
206/487-2233
Using the DeskConvert utility
from Generic Software, you can
convert Generic CADD drawings
into Encapsulated PostScript,
PCX, or TIFF format, suitable for
loading into Ventura.

GrayF!X
Xerox Imaging Systems, Inc.
535 Oakmead Pkwy.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
408/245-7900
This is a grayscale editing program that lets you enhance and
manipulate images digitized by a
grayscale scanner. To use the
program you need a VGA board
or a more expensive graphics
board. You also need lots of hard

utilitIes
user groups
bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

600

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools

graphics
software
monItors
LaserJetcompatible printers
PostScript printers
(300 dPO
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

disk space, since grayscale image
files are typically at least several
hundred kilobytes in size. Once
you have manipulated an image,
you can store in in TIFF, compressed TIFF, PCX, IMG, EPS, or
Halo CUT format. TIFF files
should work fine with Ventura,
but you may have trouble importing and printing EPS, IMG,
and PCX files.

Halo DPE
Media Cybernetics, Inc.
8484 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301/495-3305
301/495-5964 fax
This scanner-oriented program is
useful for creating line art logos
or letterhead files in IMG, TIFF,
and CUT formats, which can be
imported into Ventura as images
(i.e., bitmapped graphics). You
can operate many scanners
directly from within Halo DPE. In
addition to normal painting features such as circles and shading,
the program works with extended memory, provides image
rotation, and has a zoom feature
for pixel editing. HALO's built-in
GRAB program can capture
screens as HALO, GEM, or Windows files for editing.

ffiustrator for Windows
Adobe Systems Inc.
1585 Charleston Rd.
Mountain View, CA 94039
415/961-4400
800/344-8335
Originally introduced for the
Macintosh, Illustrator has now
been adapted for the IBM PC. Re-

nowned for its sluggishness
under Windows, Illustrator probably will continue to fare poorly
against Corel and Designer until
it receives a major upgrade. Like
Artline, Corel Draw, and Micrografx Designer, Illustrator lets
you draw true curves. It saves its
images as object graphics; once
transferred to a PC, they can be
imported into Ventura as Encapsulated PostScript files.

PC Paintbrush family
ZSoJt Corporation
450 Franklin Road #100
Marietta, GA 30067
404/428-0008
PC Paintbrush IV Plus and Publisher's Paintbrush are close relatives of PC Paintbrush, the alltime most popular graphics program for the PC (over a million
copies sold to date). All three
programs create files with the
PCX or PCC extension, which can
be imported into Ventura as images (i.e., bitmapped graphics).
For drawing, PC Paintbrush IV
Plus provides tools such as a
paintbrush, a paint roller, boxes,
circles, pattern fills, cutting and
pasting, and an eraser. It provide
controls for operating a variety of
scanners from within the program, allowing you to store
scanned images in PCX format.
Among the scanners supported
are Dest PC Scan Plus, the ShapeScan, the Datacopy 730, the
Canon IX-12, and the HP ScanJet.
Once you've saved a scanned
image in PCX format, you can
edit it or clean it up using PC
Paintbrush IV Plus's editing tools.
The PC Paintbrush IV Plus pack-

601

Appendix A: Resources

age also includes the Frieze
screen-capture utility. Scanning
and editing of grayscale images
are among the new features of
both products.
Publisher's Paintbmsh starts
with the features of PC Paintbmsh N Plus and adds a few
more. Tools can be used in any
of four zoom-out modes. Another
addition is a set of text features
that allow characters to be
slanted and the baseline to be
placed at an angle. The program
supports both extended and expanded (EMS) memory, making
it possible to create large bitmapped images. Like PC Paintbmsh N Plus, Publisher's Paintbmsh includes the Frieze screen
capture utility and also provides
controls for a variety of scanners.

Perspective Junior
Three D Software Inc.
860 Via de la Paz
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
2131459-8525
As its name implies, this increasingly popular program is used for
creating three-dimensional charts.
It lets you import WKS files from
1-2-3, convert them into threedimensional format, and apply
functions such as tilting, rotating,
stretching, and compressing
along any of the axes. You can
import them into Ventura as
image (Le., bit-mapped) files in
IMG format.

SLEd

vs Software

p.o. Box 165920
Little Rock, AR 72216
501/376-2083
SLEd provides a variety of
graphics functions, including
Bezier curves, airbmsh shading,
scaling, rotation, mirroring, and
variable pen width. Fonts can be
loaded into the program and
combined with graphics to create
logos. Images can be saved in
IMG or PCX format, suitable for
loading into Ventura.

Touch-Up
Migraph
200 South 333rd Street
Suite 220
Federal Way, WA 98003
206/838-4677
800/223-3729
This GEM-based design tool lets
you edit and enhance scanned,
imported, or original images and
export them to Ventura.

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software

monitors
LaserJetcompatible printers
PostScript printers
(300 dPO
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
ut/lltles
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus

Monitors
DPSI Controller
LaserMaster Corp.
7156 Shady Oak Rd.
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
612/944-6069
The DPS1 Controller works in
conjunction with EGA and Multisync monitors. It provides true
on-the-fly scaling of screen fonts

other resources

602

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software

monitors
LaserJetcompatible printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpQ
PostScript printers and
typesetters
(above 300 dpQ
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

and comes with 35 Bitstream
fonts which are Width-compatible
with PostScript fonts. The controller raises the resolution of the
display to 1,024 by 1,024 pixels,
automatically moves the viewing
window without scroll bars when
you move the cursor near the
edge of the page, and proVides a
number of special effects such as
squeezing and rotating screen
fonts.

DualPage Monitor,
SinglePage XL Monitor
Cornerstone Technology, Inc.
1990 ConcourSe Drive
San jose, CA 95131
408/435-8900
800/562-2552
The DualPage is a 19-inch monochrome monitor with up to 16
levels of gray and a resolution of
1,600 by 1,280 pixels, or 109 by
121 pixels per inch. For Ventura
Publisher, Cornerstone proVides
Bitstream fonts that are enhanced
with gray-scale pixels around the
edges. The SinglePage XL is a 15inch monochrome monitor with
vertical orientation, four levels of
gray, and 768 by 1008 resolution.
Cornerstone also manufactures a
IS-inch SinglePage XL Controller
and Monitor for PC and PS/2
compatible systems.

Genius Series
Micro Display Systems, Inc.
1310 Vermillion Street
P.O. Box 455
Hastings, MN 55033
612/437-2233

800/328-9524

There are a variety of monitors in
this series, ranging in price from
$995 to $8,650. The most notable
feature of the Genius Plus Full
Page Display System, the one we
have used, is that as well as being
an excellent graphics monitor, it
lets you use WordPerfect,
Microsoft Word, WordS tar and
many other popular text-based
programs in full screen mode.
That means you can see 66 lines
of text (over a full page) onscreen. This portrait monitor is
taller than it is wide, with a
screen size of 8 by 105 inches.
Resolution is 736 by 1,008 pixels
(l00 pixels per inch). Pixels are
square, which makes the aspect
ratio of the image the same as
that of the printed page. This
monitor is profiled in Chapter 5,
"Monitors. "

GlassPage 1280 Monitor,
GS 1280 Outline Font
Monitor
LaserMaster Corp.
7156 Shady Oak Rd.
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
612/944-6069
The GlassPage monitor is
profiled in Chapter 5, "Monitors."
Its board piggybacks onto a
LaserMaster 1000 or rx6 controller board. The GlassPage has two
notable features. The first is that
it uses the same outline fonts as
the LaserMaster controller, so you
get a tme WYSIWYG display in
which the typefaces and sizes on
the screen really match those on
your printed page. The second is
a two page "hot view" that automatically scrolls you horizontally

Appendix A: Resources

when your mouse approaches
the edge of the screen. The GS
1280 Outline Font monitor is
similar to the GlassPage except
that it has the ability to show 16
levels of gray. It also uses a technique called anti-aliasing, which
sharpens the appearance of type
on the screen.

L-View, PageView,
SllverView
Sigma Designs
46501 Landing Parkway
Fremont, CA 94538
415/770-0100
The L-View (previously LaserView), the largest and most expensive member of this trio, has
gone through considerable changes. It can now be used as the
primary display, since it provides
a Hercules emulation. Resolution
has been increased to 120 dpi. In
addition to Ventura, drivers are
available for Windows, GEM,
GEM/3, AutoCAD, 1-2-3, Symphony, Dr. Halo, and PC
Paintbrush Plus. The PageView
display uses a 15-inch monochrome monitor with vertical
orientation and a resolution of 96
dpi. The SilverView uses a 21inch monochrome monitor with
horizontal orientation and a
resolution of 72 dpi. It can emulate VGA.

NEe Monograph System
NEC Home Electronics
1414 Massachusetts Ave.
Boxborough, MA 01719
508/264-8000
The Monograph System is square
in shape and measures 14 inches

diagonally. Resolution is 1024 by
1024 with square pixels.

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts

Page Manager 100
Vermont Microsystems
11 Tigan Street
Winooski, VT 05404
800/354-0055
800/655-2860
This is a full-page display that
features a 16-inch square screen
and 100-dpi resolution. It includes an Intel 82786 graphics
coprocessor chip and 384K of
font memory for faster screen
redraw. Since the only graphics
board emulation is the lowresolution CGA mode, you may
find this monitor uncomfortable
to use with your word processing
program.

font tools
graphIcs software

monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt prInters
(300 dPO
PostScrIpt prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO
other prInters
prInter controllers
scanners
utilitIes
user groups

Radius Two-Page Display
RadiUS, Inc.
171 0 Fortune Dr.
San jose, CA 95131
408/434-1010
This display comes in two sizes,
21-inch and 24-inch. The price is
quite a bit lower than prices of
other comparable large-screen
monitors, such as the L-View Display System and the Viking 2.
The Radius Two-Page Display is
profiled in Chapter 5, "Monitors."

bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazInes
style sheets
traInIng
PostScrIpt service
bureaus
other resources

604

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors

LaserJetcompatible
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

Viking 2/72, Viking 2/91,
Viking 2/115, Viking 21,
Viking 21/91, Viking
Trinitron, Viking 2 G/S,
VikingPonrah,Viking
2400
Moniterm Corporation
5740 Green Circle Drive
Minnetonka, MN 55343-9990
612/935-4151
The Viking 2/72 is a 19-inch
monochrome monitor with a
horizontal orientation and 72-dpi
resolution. The Viking 2/91 is the
same, except that the resolution
is 91 dpi. The Viking 2/115 is the
same except that resolution is
115 dpi. The Viking 21 is a 21inch color monitor with 72-dpi
resolution and a horizontal orientation. The Viking 21/91 is a 21inch color monitor with 91-dpi
resolution and a horizontal orientation. The Viking Trinitron is a
19-inch color monitor with 75-dpi
resolution and a horizontal orientation. The Viking 2 GIS is a 19inch grayscale monitor with a
horizontal orientation. The Viking
Portrait is a 19-inch monochrome
monitor with 91-dpi resolution
and a vertical orientation. The
Viking 2400 is a 24-inch portrait
monitor with a horizontal orientation. The Viking monitors use a
Hitachi graphics coprocessor
chip, which enhances the speed
of the display considerably.
WY-700
Wyse Technology
3471 North First St.
Sanjose, CA 95134
800/433-1000

The WY-700, which is identical to
the Amdek 1280, is extremely
popular due to its affordability
(under $1,000) and its extensive
software support. It is profiled in
Chapter 5, "Monitors."

LaserJetCompatible
Printers
LaserJet, LaserJet Plus
Hewlett-Packard Co.
19310 Pruneridge Ave.
Cupertino, CA 95014
800/752-0900
The Original Laser] et and the
LaserJet Plus are no longer on the
market, but hundreds of thousands are still in use. The LaserJet
can only use font cartridges, not
downloadable fonts on floppy
disks. The LaserJet Plus has 512K
of memory, of which approximately 290K can be used for
downloaded fonts. Both use the
Canon LBP-CX engine, which has
excellent print quality. Although
more than a score of font
cartridges are available, with Ventura you can only use the F
cartridge, which provides one
display font (14.4-point Helv) ,
three text fonts (lO-point TMS
RMN in regular, italic, and bold)
and one footnote font (8-point
TMS RMN). Though limited, this

605

Appendix A: Resources

range of sizes is suitable for letters, memoranda, simple business reports, and some technical
documentation.
With the Laser]et, you cannot
print text in landscape mode, and
graphics are severely limited by
the S9K of printer memory available for storing graphics. If you
select other fonts and try to print
them on the Laser]et, Ventura will
render them at a crude 7S-dpi
resolution. Despite its drawbacks, you can use the Laser]et
as a draft printer in conjunction
with a PostScript phototypesetter.
This is done by selecting the
Laser]et as the printer and then
specifying a PostScript width
table. A number of upgrade options are available for the Laser]et
and the Laser]et Plus (see "Printer
Controllers" below).

LaserJet Series ll, lID, UP,

andm
Hewlett-Packard Co.
19310 Pruneridge Ave.
Cupertino, CA 95014
800/752-0900
These printers differ from the
original Laser]et in that they use
newer engines and include more
memory (S12K, upgradeable to
405MB). The Laser]et III has additional graphics capabilities, scalable fonts, and features Resolution Enhancement Technology,
which improves the appearance
of type at small sizes. All Laser]et
printers can be upgraded easily
to PostScript with an add-on
cartridge (see "Printer Controllers"
below). These printers are profiled
in Chapter 4, "Laser Printers."

MicroLaser

clip art

Texas Instruments
PO. Box 202230
Austin, 1X 78720
800/527-3500
This printer has several nice features, the most important of
which is that you can buy a basic
Laser]et-compatible model and
then upgrade later to PostScript
simply by inserting a new circuit
board. The drawback is that the
engine in this printer isn't as nicely engineered as the Canon engine used in the Laser]et family.
The hardware is a bit clunky and
the print quality isn't up to Laser]etlevel.

LaserJet fonts

Personal Page Printer II
Model 31
IBM Corp.
101 Paragon Dr.
Montvale, NJ 07645
800/426-7257
This six-page-per-minute printer
emulates a Laser]et II. Though
slow, it has good print quality.

PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors

LaserJetcompatible
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers and
typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilitIes
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets

Qume CrystalPrint
Series n
Qume Corporation
500 Yosemite Dr.
Milpitas, CA 95035
408/942-4000
800/223-2479
This printer is one of the most inexpensive alternatives to the HP
Laser]et II. The CrystalPrint Series
II emulates the Laser]et II, but is
more compact at 35 pounds,
compared with about 50 pounds
for the Laser]et II. Drawbacks are
a less heavy-duty engine, a paper
tray that only holds 100 sheets,

training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

606

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts

and a maximum speed of six
pages per minute.

PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatible
printers

PostScript
printers
(300 dpi)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

PostScript
Printers
(300 dpi)
Business LaserPrinter,
Business LaserPrinter n,
Business LaserPrinter ns
GCC Technologies, Inc.
580 Winter St.
Waltham, MA 02154
617/890-0880
Although these printers are being
sold primarily to the Macintosh
market, their Centronics interface
makes them well-suited for use
with a PC. Less expensive than
most other PostScript printers,
they use a compact Ricoh engine
and come with a full complement
of 35 resident Adobe fonts. A
notable feature of the BLP II is
that it is perhaps the only PostScript printer that can print all the
way to any edge of a page.

ColorScrlpt 100, Models
10, 20, and 30
QMS, Inc.
Product Inquiries
P.O. Box 81250
Mobile, AL 36689-1250
800/631-2692, ext. 424
The ColorScript was the the first
color PostScript printer to hit the

market, and the price has now
dropped below $10,000. All models use a thermal transfer process
to apply color. Model 10 can
print up to legal-size paper;
Models 20 and 30 can handle
pages of up to 11 by 17 inches.

LaserWrlter lINT and
llNTX
Apple Computer Inc.
20525 Mariani Ave.
Cuperlino, CA 95014
408/996-1010
The Apple LaserWriter was the
first PostScript printer, and the
Apple family continues to be the
most popular. These latest
models both use the Canon LBPSX engine (same as HP's and
QMS's printers), which is reliable
and has excellent type quality as
well as solid blacks. Both models
come with the standard set of
PostScript fonts: Courier, Helvetica, Times Roman, Palatino,
Bookman, Avant Garde, New
Century Schoolbook, Symbol,
ITC Zapf Chancery, and ITC Zapf
Dingbats. The NT uses a
Motorola 68000 microprocessor
and has 2MB of RAM (nonexpandable). The NTX uses a faster
68020 microprocessor and has 2
megabytes of RAM, expandable
to 12 megabytes. Unfortunately,
both printers provide a serial port
rather than a faster parallel port.
Until Apple adds a parallel port,
you're better off with a PS 810.

607

Appendix A: Resources

LZR 1260
Dataproducts Corp.
6200 Canoga Ave.
Woodland Hills, CA 91367-2499
818/887-8000
This is a first-rate printer - the
top of the line among PostScript
printers under $10,000. It prints
twelve pages per minute and has
excellent print quality. The
printer is 85 pounds (a LaserJet II
weighs 50) and the list price is
correspondingly hefty.

OmniLaser 2000 Series
Texas Instruments
P.O. Box 202230
Austin, 'IX 78720
800/527-3500
There are three laser printers in
this series. The 2106, 2108, and
2115 include the PostScript page
description language. HP LaserJet
emulation is also available. The
OmniLaser 2108 and 2115 use the
massive Ricoh 4080 engine, while
the OmniLaser 2106 uses the
compact Ricoh 1060 engine.
Neither of the Ricoh engines is as
good as the Canon engines used
in the LaserJet series.

QMS PS-410, QMS-PS 810,
QMS-PS 810 Turbo,
QMS-PS 820, QMS-PS 820
Turbo, QMS-PS 1500
QMS, Inc.
Product Inquiries
P.O. Box 81250
Mobile, AL 36689-1250
800/631-2692, ext. 424
The QMS-PS 810 is one of the
most popular PostScript printers
available. It uses the excellent
Canon LBP-SX engine, which

gives it good paper handling,
crisp print quality, solid blacks,
and long-lasting toner cartridges.
The 810 Turbo is faster because it
uses a 20-MHz 68020 chip rather
than a 16-MHz 68000 chip. The
820 printers are the same, except
that they provide dual bins. The
1500 is also a dual-bin printer,
but it is built with a heavier-duty
engine. The 410 is the newest: a
4-page-per-minute printer with a
fast 68020 processor. It won a
Personal Publishing magazine
1990 Product of the Year award,
mainly because of its ability to
sense whether an application
wants to print in LaserJet emulation mode or in PostScript mode
and to automatically adjust accordingly.

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt prInters
(300 dPO

PostScript
printers
and
typesetters
(above 300
dpi)
other prInters
printer controllers

QMS-PS 2210 and 2200
QMS, Inc.
Product Inquiries
P.O. Box 81250
Mobile, AL 36689-1250
800/631-2692, ext. 424
The QMS-PS 2210 and 2200 are
22-page-per-minute PostScript
printers that can print on 11- by
17-inch paper. They include the
standard set of 35 Adobe fonts
and have Centronics, RS232,
RS422, and AppleTalk interfaces.

scanners
utilitIes
user groups
bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
traInIng
PostScrIpt servIce
bureaus
other resources

QuadLaser PS
Qleor
One Quad Way
Norcross, GA 30093
404/923-6666
800/548-3420
The QuadLaser PS has 3MB of
memory and comes with the
standard set of 35 Adobe type-

608

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts

faces. It has AppleTalk, RS232,
and Centronics interfaces, and includes LaserJet Plus emulation.

PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpQ

PostScript
printers
and
typesetters
(above 300
dpi)

ScripTEN
Qume Corporation
500 Yosemite Dr.
Milpitas, CA 95035
408/942-4000
This is a ten-page-per-minute
PostScript printer that uses the
Hitachi "write-white" engine. Although bulky at 90 pounds, the
printer produces good print
quality, with crisp type and solid
blacks. It comes with 3MB of
RAM and includes both serial and
parallel ports.

other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

PostScript
Printers &
Typesetters
(Above
300 dpi)
CG 400-PS
Compugraphic Corp.
200 Ballardvale St.
Wilmington, .MA 01887
800/822-5524
617/658-5600
This is a 400-dpi Postscript
printer capable of printing up to
18 original pages per minute. The

additional 100 dots per horizontal
and vertical inch actually increase
the quality of output considerably (160,000 dots per square
inch, in contrast to the 90,000
dots per square inch produced
by most laser printers). The
printer uses Adobe's Atlas controller, which is based on the
Motorola 68020 chip and is faster
than the controllers used in most
standard PostScript printers. One
reason for the increased speed of
the Atlas controller is that while
one page is being printed, the
next page is being prepared. The
printer includes a 20MB hard disk
and 6MB of internal RAM for storing fonts, font cache, and bitmap
memory. The CG 400-PS comes
with 73 built-in typefaces. The
combination of 400-dpi resolution, IS-ppm speed, and 100,000page-per-month duty cycle,
makes the CG 400-PS an ideal
choice for high-quality, highvolume demand printing.

Lasersmith PS-415,
PS-415 GT, PS-830+,
PS-830 GT
Lasersmith
430 Martin Ave.
Santa Clara, CA 95050
408/727-7700
The PS-415 is a PostScript-compatible printer that uses a Canon
CX engine (the one used by the
original LaserJet) but prints at
415-by-415 dots per inch. It includes 3MB of RAM and 35 resident fonts. The PS-415 GT uses a
RISC processor. According to
Lasersmith it is 11 times as fast as
an Apple LaserWriter lINT. The

Appendix A: Resources

PS-830+ doubles the resolution of
the 415 in the horizontal direction. The PS-830 GT also doubles
the resolution and also features a
fast RIse processor. All these
printers are astonishingly low
priced. For example, the PS-415
is only $2,495 and the PS-830 GT
is only $4,695.

Linotronic Series
Linotype Co.
425 Oser Ave.
Hauppauge, NY 11788
800/645-5278
516/434-2000
The resolution of the Linotronic
200 is 1,690 dpi, that of the
Linotronic 300 is 2,540 dpi. Both
print on paper or film up to 12
inches wide. With bitmapped
and object graphics, the 300 is
one and one-half times faster
than the 200; with halftones the
two are roughly comparable in
speed. Both can be used with the
full library of PostScript fonts.
Typically, service bureaus provide access to Linotronic printers
on a per-hour and per-page fee
basis. Because of its higher
resolution and faster speed, the
300 is preferable for printing
halftones.

Printware 720 IQ
Printware
1385 Mendota Heights Rd.
St. Paul, MN 55120
6121456-1400
The Printware 720 IQ is a 1,200dpi (horizontal) by 600-dpi (vertical) laser printer that uses
Printstyle, a PostScript-compatible page description lan-

guage. The printer is rated at a
maximum of eight pages per
minute and accepts plain paper
stock up to 8.5 by 14 inches. The
720 IQ allows on-line selection of
black and one other color, such
as red, brown, or blue.

Clip art

LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools
graphics software
monItors

VT600P
Varityper
11 Mount Pleasant Ave.
East Hanover, Nj07936
201/887-8000
800/631-8134
This is a 600-dpi PostScript
printer, rated at a maximum of
ten pages per minute. Like the
Agfa P400PS, it uses the fast Atlas
controller. Built into the printer is
a 20MB hard disk for storing
typefaces. The VT600p uses plain
paper (up to 8.5 by 14 inches)
and provides serial and parallel
ports. Resident fonts include the
Adobe 35 LaserWriter-Plus set;
more fonts can be loaded onto
the printer's 20MB hard disk.
Varityper also offers a version of
the VT600p which prints on 11by-17-inch paper.

LaserJet-compatIble
prInters
PostScript prInters
(300 dpD

PostScript
printers
and
typesetters
(above 300
dpi)
other prInters
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazInes
style sheets
trainIng
PostScrIpt service
bureaus
other resources

610

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LoserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools

Other
Printers

dpi in the horizontal direction. In
the vertical direction, resolution
is also enhanced through a
proprietary technology that
smooths out the rough spots on
fonts. The printer is profiled in
Chapter 4, "Laser Printers."

DeskJet, DeskJet Plus,
DeskJet 500

Xerox 4020 Color Inkjet

graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dPO
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO

other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazInes
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

Hewlett-Packard
Customer Information Center
Inquiry Fulfillment Dept.
19310 Pruneridge Ave.
Cupertino, CA 95014
800/752-0900
408/738-4133
With prices continually dropping,
the DeskJet printers provide
remarkable 300-dpi near-laser
output. They're even quieter than
a laser printer, though nowhere
near as fast. Although Ventura
doesn't have a DeskJet driver,
you can print on any DeskJet
model by installing Ventura for a
PostScript printer and then using
a software-based PostScript interpreter such as Freedom of the
Press (see below under "Utilities"). Output will be quite slow,
but you'll be getting PostScript
pages at a bargain. Another way
to print on the DeskJet is with the
Publisher's PowerPak driver (see
"Utilities").

LaserMaster 1000
Plain-Paper Typesetter
7156 Shady Oak Road
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
612/944-9330 phone
6121944-0522 fax
The LaserMaster 1000 is based on
a 400-dpi Canon engine, but the
resolution is increased to 1000

Xerox Corporation
P.O. Box 24
Rochester, NY 14692
800/832-6979
Although this printer cannot rival
laser printers in speed, its color
capabilities are excellent. With
Ventura, you can assign color attributes to type, frame backgrounds, ruling lines, and graphic
fills. Imported graphics, such as
Lotus charts, are also automatically assigned colors. With the
4020, both text and pictures print
at 240 by 120 dots per inch, and
eight colors are available. Swiss
(Helvetica) and Dutch (Times
Roman) are available in sizes
from 8 to 36 points; there is no
Symbol font.

Xerox 4045 Laser CP
Xerox Corporation
P.O. Box 24
Rochester, NY 14692
800/832-6979
This is a ten-page-per-minute
printer with 300-dpi output. It
also includes an optional copier.
It is rated for print volumes of
2,000 to 10,000 pages per month.
Basic memory is 128K, but can
be expanded to 512K to allow
more typefaces per page and
larger graphics. Ventura provides
two drivers for the 4045, one for

611

Appendix A: Resources

300-dpi graphics and the other
for 150-dpi graphics. The latter
can be used to print a page that
exceeds the memory of the 4045
if printed at 300 dpi. The 4045
cannot print white text on a black
background. It is compatible with
the Diablo 630 and the Xerox
2700 II laser printer. Fonts can be
converted from LaserJet format
using Ventura's font conversion
utilities; however, since the 4045
uses write-white technology
rather than the write-black technology used by the LaserJet, converted fonts may suffer in quality.

Printer
Controllers
Adobe Systems PostScript
Cartridge
Adobe Systems, Inc.
1585 Charleston Rd.
p. O. Box 7900
Mountain View, CA 94039
415/961-4400
This is the fastest PostScript
cartridge for the LaserJet II
printer.

Gradco's TurboPrint
General Peripherals, Inc.
7 Morgan
Irvine, CA 92718
800/447-2326
Developed by Conographic Corporation and formerly named the

ConoDesk 6000, this is a PostScript-compatible upgrade card
for the LaserJet II or any other
printer with a Canon engine. It
comes with 35 scalable fonts. Its
main advantage is high speed,
which it accomplishes by means
of specialized coprocessor chips.

HP Laser]et PostScript
Cartridge

Clip art

LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphIcs software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)

Hewlett-Packard Co.
19310 Pruneridge Ave.
Cupertino, CA 95014
800/752-0900
This PostScript cartridge plugs
into a LaserJet lIP, lID, or III. It
will not work with a LaserJet II. It
is the fastest PostScript cartridge
for the LaserJet family, using the
latest version of PostScript with
improved font rendering. When
you use this cartridge with the
LaserJet III, you also get the
benefit of that printer's resolution
enhancement technology.

printer
controllers

ImageScript

style sheets

PCPI
10865 Rancho Bernardo Rd.
San Diego, CA 92127
619/485-8411
800/225-4098
This PostScript-emulation cartridge for LaserJet Series II, lID,
lIP, and III has forty-seven resident fonts. Previously the output
quality was not as good as
Adobe's and HP's cartridges.
Recently, however, the ImageScript cartridge has been
upgraded and the price has been
slashed. With a suggested list
price of $299, this cartridge is a
real bargain.

PostScript prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers

scanners
utilitIes
user groups
bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazines

traIning
PostScrIpt servIce
bureaus
other resources

612

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

cJlp art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dPO
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO
other printers

printer
controllers
scanners
utJlltles
user groups
buJletln boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

JetScript
The Laser Connection, Inc.
7852 Schillinger Park West
Mobile, AL 36608
800/523-2696
205/633-7223
This is a PostScript add-on board
that converts an HP LaserJet II
into a PostScript printer. Less
convenient that a PostScript
cartridge, it also has another
drawback-you can's share the
JetScript between two computers.

}Laser controllers
Tall Tree Systems
2585 E. Bayshore Road
Palo Alto, CA 94303
415/964-1980
There are a number of versions
of the JLaser controller. The
newest one, the JLaser 5, is
capable of printing up to 256
shades of gray with Ventura. The
JLaser board installed in the computer and connected via a special
high-speed cable to the printer.
Most models currently require a
Canon CX or SX engine. With
these boards, you can continue
to operate your printer as usual
through its normal cable. But
with Ventura and other software
programs that have JLaser
drivers, the JLaser controller will
automatically take control of the
printer.

LaserMaster Series m
Controllers
LaserMaster Corp.
7156 Shady Oak Rd.
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
612/944-6069

LaserMaster originally made a
name for itself proViding fast output for AutoCAD users, and now
provides a set of extremely fast
controller boards for laser
printers. Like the JLaser board,
the LaserMaster Series III controllers are installed in the computer
and connected to most types of
laser printers. They are profiled
in Chapter 4, "Laser Printers."

PacificPage
Pacific Data Products
9125 Rehco Road
San Diego, CA 92121
619/552-0880
This plug-in PostScript-clone
cartridge comes in various versions for the LaserJet II, IIP, or III
printer. It includes the standard
35 scalable fonts that are resident
in most PostScript printers.

PS Jet and PS Jet Plus
The Laser Connection, Inc.
7852 Schillinger Park West
Mobile, AL 36608
800/523-2696
205/633-7223
PS Jet and PS Jet Plus are kits that
convert an HP LaserJet or other
printer using the Canon LBP-CX
engine into a PostScript printer.
The kits also provide an HP
LaserJet emulation, allowing you
to continue using software packages that lack PostScript drivers.

613

Appendix A: Resources

clip art

PC Publisher Kit
QMS/Laser Connection
One Magnum Pass
Mobile, AL 36618
800/523-2696
205/633-7223
The PC Publisher Kit is an add-on
board that adds DDL and PostScript compatibility to a LaserJet
II printer.

TIGer-CUB
Advanced Vision Research
2201 Qume Drive
San Jose, CA 95131-9801
408/434-1115
408/434-0968 fax
An add-in card that speeds up
printing of complex pages at 300
dpi. It works with the HP LaserJet
II and most Canon-engine
printers.

TurboPrint
Gradco Printer Systems
7 Morgan
Irvine, CA 92718
7141454-0108
800/628-1538
This controller comes with 35
scalable, rotatable fonts and supports the Bitstream type library.
Add-on memory board is for HP
LaserJet Series II and III. The system uses Conographic technology, which is fully compatible
with the PostScript language.

Scanners

LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools

Abaton Scan 300
Abaton, A Division of Everex
48431 Milmont Dr.
Fremont, CA 94538
415/683-2226
800/444-5321
This scanner is the same as the
MicroTek.

Dest PC Scan 2000 and
3000 Series
Dest Corporation
1015 East Brokaw Road
SanJose, CA 95131
408/436-2700
408/436-2750 fax
These are flatbed grayscale that
come with Publish Pac and PC
Paintbrush software.

graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpD
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpD
other printers
printer controllers

scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines

Handy Scanner 3000 plus
DFI, Inc.
2544 Port Street
West Sacramento, CA 95691
916/373-1234
916/373-0221 fax
The Handy Scanner is the highest
resolution hand-held scanner
available. It will scan an image
four inches wide and 20 inches
long at up to 400 dpi. The $359
scanner comes with the excellent
Halo DPE graphics software and
has the ability to recognize up to
32 levels of gray. It saves to PCX,
TIFF, MSP, CUT (HALO DPE) , or
IMG formats. An optional OCR
(Optical Character Recognition)
software is available for an un-

style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

614

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dPO
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO
other printers
printer controllers
scanners

utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

believably low $99 (or $249 for
the advanced. "trainable" version
of the software). Once you've
mastered the hand-eye coordination necessary, the image quality
is surprisingly good for such an
inexpensive scanner. DFI also offers a system which turns any
home video camera into a video
scanner.

Logitech ScanMan Plus

the rollers of the Epson printer
and is then digitized by the scanner device, which replaces the
printhead of the Epson. The
scanner can record eight levels of
gray. Images are saved in TIFF or
PCX format.

Logitech
6505 Kaiser Drive
Fremont, CA 94555
415/795-8500
415/792-8901 fax
The ScanMan is one of the new
breed of hand-held image scanners. It will scan an image up to
four inches wide by fourteen inches long at up to 400 dpi in 32
shades of gray. It saves files in
TIFF, PCX, or MSP format.

Utilities

ScanJet Plus

Qualitas, Inc.
8314 Thoreau Dr.
Bethesda, MD 20817-3164
This utility allows you to free up
conventional memory by loading
drivers and other programs into
extended memory on an 80386based computer. It is discussed in
Chapter 26, "Memory Limitations
and Solutions."

2-UP Publisher
Laser Age Software Company
3231 Ocean Park Blvd. #104
Santa Monica, CA 90405
213/470-1397
Creates 2-up and saddle-stiched
layout on HP LaserJet printers.

386-to-the-Max
Hewlett-Packard
1820 Embarcadero Rd.
Palo Alto, CA 94303
800/367-4772
This scanner is profiled in Chapter 6,"Scanners."

SX-IOOO Scanning System
Desktop Technology
986 Mangrove, Suite B
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
408/738-4001
800/759-4001
This innovative device converts
any Epson model FX, MX, RX,
and LQ printers into an inexpensive ($250) scanner. The material
to be scanned is placed between

AdVentura
The Golem Press
Box 1342
Boulder, CO 80306
303/590-1367
This utility converts text from
Ventura to Editwriter format.

615

Appendix A: Resources

Arabic Adaption of
Ventura Publisher

is its ability to convert colors to
shades of gray.

Glyph Systems, Inc.
P.O. Box 134
Andover, .MA 01810
508/470-1317

ColorSep/PC

BackLoader
See "Font Tools"

Code to Code
Alphabytes, Inc.
111 Eighth St. SE
Washington, DC 20003
202/546-4119
This shareware utility removes
Ventura formatting codes from a
document so that you can edit it
more easily. When you're
finished, it replaces the codes
again.

Collage Plus
Inner Media, Inc.
60 Plain Rd.
HoI/is, NH 03049
603/465-3216
Collage Plus is a set of screencapture utilities: SNAP captures
an image and lets you view it;
SAVE is the same as SNAP except
that it doesn't allow viewing;
VIEW makes it easy to look at images. Using the SHOW utility,
you can quickly display, rename,
or delete any graphic images.
SHOW may also be used from a
batch file to produce a custom
video slide show. Collage works
only on PCX and TIFF graphics.
It supports VGA, EGA, HGC,
CGA, and MDA monitors. One of
the strong points of this program

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts

Ozette Technologies
P.O. Box 208
MOrrisville, PA 19067-0208
215/493-2720
The program creates color
separations from Ventura print
files.

DataPub
HB Type and Graphics
1615 Alabama St.
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
714/536-3939

This menu-driven utility processes and tags your database files
prior to importing into Ventura.

font tools
graphIcs software
monItors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt prInters
(300 dpl)
PostScrIpt prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other prInters
prInter controllers
scanners

utilities

DataTAG

user groups

Publishing Solutions
205 E. 78th St. #17T
New York, NY 10021
212/288-2470
A utility for loading database files
into Ventura, DataTAG is profiled
in Chapter 27, "Utilities."

bulletIn boards

dbPublisherforVenhtta
Digital Composition Systems
1715 W. Northern Ave. #201
Phoenix, AZ 85021
602/870-7667
800/527-2506
This program reads dBASE DBF
files directly and lets you sort and
tag the fields you want to import
into Ventura. It also works with
other database programs, including R:BASE and Paradox. You
work within dbPublisher to create a tagged text file. The pro-

newsletters and
magazInes
style sheets
traInIng
PostScrIpt servIce
bureaus
other resources

616

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools
graphIcs software

gram then automatically runs
Ventura and loads your chapter.
The program comes with
predefined style sheets for
catalogs, newsletters, form letters, labels, directories, and price
lists.

monItors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt printers
(300 dpl)
PostScrIpt printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other prInters
printer controllers
scanners

The DeskTop
Logical Solutions
11524 SW 56th Place
Portland, OR 97219
503/452-1029
This utility, which works only
with the GEM version, provides a
variety of document management
functions. It lets you move, copy,
and delete files; keep track of
chapters by revision number; and
view the contents of a style sheet.

utilities
user groups
bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
traIning
PostScrIpt servIce
bureaus

DESQview
Quarterdeck Office Systems
150 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
213/392-9851
213/399-3802 fax
This multitasking windows program for the PC is compatible
with most popular software, and
it works with a mouse.

other resources

Editor's Desk Set
Metroplex Digital Corp.
P.O. Box 815729
Dallas, TX 75381-5729
214/231-8944
This is a combination package
that includes CodeCard, MouseWare, PubStar, TagCommand,
and VPMover.

Flash
Software Masters
6352 N. GUilford Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46220
317/253-8088
This is a disk caching utility. For
details, see Chapter 23, "Speed
Tips," and Chapter 26, "Memory
Limitations and Solutions."

Font Library Manager
See ''Font Tools"

Font Maker
See ''Font Tools"

FontSpace
See ''Font Tools"

Freedom of Press
Computer Applications Inc.
5 Middlesex Technology Center
900 Middlesex Turnpike
Billerica, .MA 01821
800/873-4367
Like GoScript, Freedom of Press
lets you print PostScript files on a
non-PostScript printer. The program comes with drivers for a
number of printers, as well as 35
PostScript fonts. It's especially
good in combination with the HP
DeskJet. The main drawbacks of
the program is its slow speed.

GoScrlpt
LaserGo, Inc.
9369 Carroll Park Drive, Suite A
San Diego, CA 92121
619/450-4600
619/450-9334 fax
This utility translates PostScript
commands into bitmapped im-

617

Appendix A: Resources

ages, allowing you to proof PostScript output on your IBM
PC/XT/AT, PS/2, or compatible
screen and print on dot-matrix,
ink-jet, and laser printers. You
can also save your print files in
TIFF or PCX format. GoScript includes 13 scalable fonts; GoScript
Plus includes 35 scalable fonts.

The Graphics Link Plus
TerraVision, Inc.
2351 College Station Road #563
Athens, GA 30605
404/769-5641
404/769-8013 fax
This is a graphics conversion
utility that converts graphics files
among a variety of formats, including PCC, PCX, IMG, TIF,
WPG, CompuServe GIF, Windows Paint MSP, Dr. Halo CUT,
and Show Partner/FX GXl. It also
converts up to 256 color values
into grayscale equivalents.

HiJaak

clip art

Inset Systems, Inc.
71 Commerce Drive
Brookfield, CT 06804
203/740-2400
800/828-8088
This is a utility" for capturing files
or screens and converting pictures from one graphics format to
another. For details, see Chapter
19, "Screen Snapshots."

LaserJet fonts

HotShot Grab, HotShot
Graphics
Symsoft
924 Incline Way, Box 5
Incline Village, NV 89450
800/344-0160
HotShot Grab is a simple screen
snapshot utility.
HotShot
Graphics adds a painting program for enhancing captured
screens. The two are profiled in
Chapter 19, "Screen Snapshots."

See "Font Tools"

Graf'Plus

Hebrew Adaptation of
Ventura Publisher
Glyph Systems, Inc.
P.O. Box 134
Andover, MA 01810
508/470-1317

font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)

HPw/ESP
Jewell Technologies, Inc.
4740 44th Ave. SW #203
Seattle, WA 98116
206/937-1081
This is a screen snapshot utility.

PostScript fonts

PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners

utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training

Index!
Trinity Software
P.O. Box 3610
9380 C-1 Forestwood Lane
Manassas, VA 22110
703/369-2429
800/247-9079
703/369-4386 fax
This utility speeds up the process
of inserting index references into
a Ventura chapter. Instead of
entering a separate index code
for each occurrence of a term,
you enter the term and the code
just once in Index!'s database.

PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

618

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphIcs software
monItors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt prInters
(300 dpQ
PostScrIpt prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dpQ
other prInters
prInter controllers

Intelligent lIP Driver for
Ventura
&per
P.O. Box 18470
Knoxville, 7N 3 7928
615/687-8016

JetPropulsion
Digital Products, Inc.
108 Water Street
Watertown, A1A 02172
617/924-1680
Speed up your LaserJet III or liP
by 200 percent to 500 percent by
compressing graphics data! Also
compatible with DeskJet and
DeskJet Plus if they use the PCLS
control language.

scanners

utilities
user groups
bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazInes
style sheets

other resources

EDCO Services, Inc.
12410N. DaleMabryHwy.
Tampa, FL 33618
800/523-8973
813/962-7800
This is a program that lets you
modify kerning tables for higherquality typography.

link
Computer Solutions for
Publishing
21171 Banff Lane
Huntington Beach, CA 92646
714/536-7008
This is a utility for printing Ventura files on a Compugraphic
typesetter.

KeyCap
Information Conversion Services
1625 South Fairview
Park Ridge, IL 60068
312/266-8378
The utility translates documents
from Xerox Memorywriter format
into Ventura.

traInIng
PostScrIpt servIce
bureaus

I.etrTuck+

LaserJet m Ventura driver
VPUG, Inc.
7502 Aaron Place
San jose, CA 95139
408/227-5030
Ventura Professional! magazine
and Softare Systems Consulting
developed this driver to connect
Ventura to the new LaserJet III.
You can also add any LJ III-compatible soft font to the width
table included in the package.

MouseWare
Metroplex Digital Corporation
P.O. Box 815729
Dallas, TX 75381-5729
214/231-8944
This memory-resident utility lets
you use the righ button of your
mouse to select OK within dialog
boxes or to change viewing
modes. It also lets you speed up
or slow down your mouse.

PC Tools Deluxe
Central Point Software
15220 N. W. Greenbrier Pkwy.
Suite 200
Beaverton, OR 97006
503/690-8090
503/690-8083 fax
The file management tools of PC
Tools are useful for finding Ventura files and backing up chapters. Also, PC Tools includes an
excellent disk caching program.

619

Appendix A: Resources

Pizazz Plus
Application Techniques, Inc.
10 Lomar Park Dr.
Pepperell, .MA 01463
508/433-5201
A screen snapshot utility.

PrintCache
LaserTools Corporation
1250 - 45th Street #100
Emeryville, CA 94608
415/420-8777
415/420-1150 fax
An intelligent spooler, PrintCache
can use extended memory, expanded (EMS) memory, or the
hard disk to buffer data on the
way to the printer. The program
makes it possible to full-page,
300-dpi graphics to be printed on
a 512K LaserJet Plus or LaserJet
II. It works with Windows 3.0.

marks, trademark symbols, hidden text, etc. For more details,
see Chapter 9, "Working with
Style Sheets."

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools

SoftKicker 2.0,
SoftKicker Plus
Aristocad, Inc.
1650 Centre Pointe Dr.
Milpitas, CA 95035
408/946-2747
800/338-2629
800/426-8288 (CA)
SoftKicker, a utility that works
with EGA and VGA monitors, allows you to move around your
page without using the scroll
bars. It is profiled in Chapter 5,
"Monitors." SoftKicker Plus is
similar to SoftKicker, but works
within Windows.

graphIcs software
monItors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt prInters
(300 dpD
PostScrIpt prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dpD
other prInters
prInter controllers
scanners

utilities
user groups

Sundial
PRN2TBL
Advanced Systems Ltd.
803 w: Main St. #112
League City, TX 77573
7131333-9717
This utility converts Lotus 1-2-3
files into Ventura tables.

Metroplex Digital Corp.
PO. Box 815729
Dallas, TX 75381-5729
2141231-8944
This program functions as an address manager and label maker.

Super PC-Kwik
Publisher's Powerpak
See ''Font Tools"

Pub*Star
Metroplex Digital Corporation
P.O. Box 815729
Dallas, TX 75381-5729
2141231-8944
This utility pops up within your
word processor (WordPerfect,
WordStar, WordStar 2000, or
Microsoft Word) and lets you insert Ventura codes for index

Multisoft Corp.
15100 SW Koll Parkway
Suite L
Beaverton, OR 97007
503/644-5644
503/646-8267 fax
This is one of the most highlyrated disk caching utilities on the
market. For details, see Chapter
23, "Speed Tips," and Chapter 26,
"Memory Limitations and Solutions."

bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazInes
style sheets
traInIng
PostScript servIce
bureaus
other resources

620

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools
graphIcs software
monItors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other prInters
printer controllers
scanners

Table Manners

Tagteam

Desktop PUblishing Group
978 Douglas Ave. #104
Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
407/862-7755
800/257-8087
This utility processes Lotus 1-2-3
files for loading into Ventura.

Sage Productions
5677 Oberlin Dr.
San Diego, CA 92121
619/455-7513
This is a utility that smooths the
connection between WordPerfect
and Ventura. When you're going
from WordPerfect, it speeds up
tagging by automatically converting WordPerfect formats into
Ventura tags. When you're using
WordPerfect to re-edit a text file
that has already been tagged in
Ventura, it strips away those
bothersome "@TAGNAME ="
codes and converts other embedded codes into a less conspicuous form.

Tag!
Trinity Software
P.O. Box 3610
9380 C1 Forestwood Lane
Manassas, VA 22110
703/369-2429
This utility lets you see your text
in one window and your tags in
another, assisting the process of
assigning tags before you load
your text file into Ventura.

TagWrlte

utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

TagCommand
Metroplex Digital Corporation
P.O. Box 815729
Dallas, TX 75381-5729
214/231-8944
This utility provides several style
sheet and tag management features. It lets you view the attributes of a tag, change every tag
in a style sheet to a single type
style, and find tags that aren't
being used in a chapter.

Zandar Corp.
P.O. Box 480
Newfane, VT 05345
800/662-9667
802/254-3399 fax
This is an automatic tagging
utility that works with WordPerfect (4.2 through 5.1),
Microsoft Word (4.0 through 5.0),
OfficeWriter 6.1, Word for Windows/RTF, and ASCII text files.

Tiffany Plus
TagMaster
Committed To Results, Inc.
P.O. Box 468024
Cincinnati, OH 45246
513/860-4402
This utility assists in pre-tagging
database and spreadsheet files.

Anderson Consulting & Software
P.O. Box 40
North Bonneville, WA 98639
800/733-9633
This is a heavy-duty screen capture utility for Windows 3.0. It offers numerous options for saving
your screen shots, including
three kinds of TIFF formats and
two kinds of PCX files. You can
capture either the entire screen,

621

Appendix A: Resources

the currently active window, or
the current menu or dialog box.

Typesetter's Connection
The Computer Group
14 Ellis Potter Court
Madison, WI 53 711
608/273-1803
A utility for printing Ventura files
on a Compugraphic typesetter.

Type Studio
Publisher's Shareware
PO. Box 72
Rockwall, TX 75087
This is a shareware utility for
creating special effects with PostScript fonts. Effects include rotating, condensing, expanding,
drop shadows, tilting, and outlining, alone or in combination. To
get a disk, send $9 to the above
address. If you continue to use
the
program,
Publisher's
Shareware requests a $39 licensing fee.

VenEdit

clip art

QPlus Inc.
2020 Beechwood Blvd.
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
412/521-9525
This is a text editor designed
specifically for use with Ventura.
It lets you do spell checking on
text files that have been indexed
a problem with regular word
processors.

LaserJet fonts

Golden Bow System
PO. Box 3039
San Diego, CA 92103
800/284-3269
619/483-0901
619/483-1924 fax
Vcache is an excellent set of disk
caching programs. The package
includes versions for regular, extended, or expanded memory, as
well as speed-up for diskettes,
screens, and keyboards. Vopt is a
"disk-optimizing" program which
keeps the files on your hard disk
contiguous.

font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)

Ventura Publisher Fax
Card Driver
Software Systems Consulting
735 Tarento Dr.
San Diego, CA 92106
619/226-4112

PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners

VP2WP
See 'WP2W

utilities
user groups

VP/Base
See XVP/Base

vpEMCEE
Vcache & Vopt

PostScript fonts

Four Seasons Publishing Co.
246 East 46th St.
New York, NY 10017
212/599-2141
This utility keeps track of
graphics and text file locations
associated with Ventura chapters.
It can also compress files and
copy them to a different location.

VP·Fax
Software Systems Consulting
735 Tarento Dr.
San Diego, CA 92106
619/226-4112
This utility works from within
Ventura, letting you print Ventura

bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

622

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts

documents to a PCX file which
you can then transmit using a PC
fax board.

VP/Tabs
See XVP/Base

PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers

VP to the Max
VP Manager 1.02
Aristocad, Inc.
1650 Centre Pointe Dr.
Milpitas, CA 95035
408/946-2747
800/338-2629
800/426-8288 (CA)
This utility, which is profiled in
Chapter 27, "Utilities," provides
Ventura with additional file
management and document
management capabilities, as well
as automatic timed backup.

printer controllers
scanners

utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines

VPMover
Metroplex Digital Corporation
P.O. Box 815729
Dallas, TX 75381-5729
2141231-8944
This utility will move all the files
associated with a chapter into a
single compressed archive file.

style sheets
training _
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

VP/Saddle
See XVP/Base

VPToolbox, VPToolbox
Advanced Edition
SNA, Inc.
P. O. Box 3662
Princeton, Nj 08543
609/799-9605
609/799-9639 fax
An extremely useful file and style
sheet management utility. It is
profiled in Chapter 9, "Working
with Style Sheets."

Aristocad, Inc.
1650 Centre Poine Dr.
Milpitas, CA 95035
408/946-2747
800/338-2629
800/426-8288 (CA)
This utility provides you with
search and replace, spell checking, a thesaurus, and ability to
see style sheet attributes-all
without leaving Ventura. The one
big drawback is that the spell
checker only works with text that
was generated in ASCII, not in
word processor format.

VTune
Eti Software
2930 Prospect Avenue
2nd Floor
Cleveland, OH 44115
216/241-1140
800/336-2014
216/241-2319 fax
This utility pops up from within
Ventura when you load a text file.
It gives you a variety of options
for "conditioning" the text file by
converting multiple spaces to
tabs, removing extraneous carriage returns, creating automatic
fractions, etc.

VP Utility Pak I
Digital Presentation Services
220 West 24th St.
New York, NY 10011
212/924-7661
This set of utilities contains three
programs. The first processes

623

Appendix A: Resources

spreadsheets that have been
printed to disk, replacing spaces
between columns with tabs. The
second removes extra carriage
returns and spaces in a document, and globally adds Ventura
character attributes such as bold
and italic to words and phrases
throughout a document. The
third utility automatically places
the correct Ventura indexing
codes to mark every occurrence
of the same word in a document.

WithStyle
Pecan Software Systems, Inc.
1410 39th St.
Brooklyn, NY 11218
718/851-3100
A style sheet management and
editing utility. It lets you examine, print, and edit tag attributes, and transplant tags from
one style sheet to another.

WP2VP, VP2WP
R. Abrams
816 Rome
Los Angeles, CA 90065
(no phone number available)
These utilities take care of a number of housekeeping details
necessary for importing WordPerfect files into Ventura and
converting text files from other
formats to WordPerfect 5.0 format. The price is $35 for either
utility or $65 for both. For more
details, see Chapter 27, "Utilities."

WVBrldge

cl/p art

Eti Software
2930 Prospect Avenue
2nd Floor
Cleveland, OH 44115
216/241-1140
800/336-2014
216/241-2319 fax
This utility translates Wang and
other word processing files into
Ventura format.

LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)

XIP
Xitron, Inc.
1428 East Ellsworth
Ann Arbor, MI48108
313/971-8530
A utility that translates Ventura
files for outputting on a
Linotronic 202 typesetter.

PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers
printer control/ers
scanners

utilities
XPort
Micrografx, Inc.
1303 Arapaho
Richardson, TX 75081
2141234-1769
800/272-3729
2141234-2410 fax
This utility coverts graphics files
among CGM, MacDraw PICT,
AutoCAD DXF, Micrografx DRW,
and GEM formats.

XVP/Base, XVP/Tabs,
VP/Saddle
The Laser Edge
4432 Pampas Ave.
Oakland, CA 94619
800/777-1581
These utilities are profiled in
Chapter 27, "Utilities." XVP/Base
imports dBASE data into Ventura
Publisher. XVP/Tabs imports
spreadsheet data into Ventura,

user groups
bul/etln boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

624

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software

converting the spaces between
columns into tabs. VPISaddle lets
you print two-up and saddlestitch documents, as well as
facing pages and enlarged pages,
on PostScript printers.

low) as well as the Ventura Professional Forum, an electronic
bulletin board (see "Bulletin
Boards" below). For those living
in the San Francisco Bay Area,
the group holds a meeting every
first Monday at 6:00 p.m.

monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpQ
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpQ

Arizona

User
Groups

other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities

user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

National Association of
Desktop Publishers
(NADTP)
1260 Boylston Street
Boston, .MA 02215
617/426-2885
800/874-4113
NADTP is an independent, nonprofit trade association devoted
to desktop publishing in general
(Mac and PC), not just Ventura.
Membership benefits include a
bimonthly 64-page journal apd
substantial
discounts
on
hardware, software, training, and
books.

VPUG Central
Bob Moody and Lynn Walterick
7502 Aaron Place
Sanjose, CA 95131
408/227-5030
408/224-9086 fax
This is the headquarters of the
Ventura Publishers Users Group.
It is an incorporated entity that
publishes the monthly magazine
Ventura Professional! (see
"Newsletters and Magazines" be-

Arizona VPUG
john Mosier
Laserworks
2101 North 24th St.
Phoenix, AZ 85008
602/230-1752
This group is still listed in Ventura Professional's list of user
groups, which says that it meets
on the fourth Tuesday of the
month. However, when we attempted to contact Arizona
VPUG at this address, our letter
was returned.

California
Arcadia SGV-VPUG
Mel Minami or Tatjana Standish
The Computer Lab
Arcadia, CA
818/445-1626
Meets on the fourth Tuesday of
the month.

East Bay Ventura Users
Evonne Hopkins or Shirley
Schlueter
415/460-8462

625

Appendix A: Resources

Fresno VPUG
Dennis Patrick
Brandon and Tibbs
5085 East McKinley Ave.
Fresno, CA 93727
209/453-0336

IrvineVPUG
Marcia Couey or Laura Kilby
Techwriter's Ink
Marcia: 714/552-7272
Laura: 714/966-1180
Meets on the second Wednesday
of the month.

PC Publishers of
Northern California
Eric Leong
San Francisco, CA 94110
415/635-0159
Meets on the third Thursday of
the month.

San Bernardino VPUG
Ramona Hagar
The Earth Technology Corp.
San Bernardino, CA
714/381-3356 ext. 352
714/883-5573

San Diego VPUG
Teny Gilman or Jim Mack
619/2725-9292
Meets on the third Tuesday of the
month.

San Mateo VPUG
Eleanor L. Church
United States Postal Service
280 Medio Ave.
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
415/726-3181
This group meets on the second
Monday of every month and pub-

lishes an informative monthly
newsletter.

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts

Santa Barbara VPUG
Dana Trout
p. O. Box 2450
Goleta, CA 93118
805/685-7937
Meetings are at 7 p.m. on the first
Friday of every month at the
Goleta Main Library. The group
also publishes a newsletter, "The
Goleta Publisher," and lends
books, training videos, and periodicals.

font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatible
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other printers

SouthernCaHfornia
VPUG (SC-VPUG)
Randy Tobin
1309 Riverside Drive
Burbank, CA 91506
818/955-5830
This group meets on the fourth
Wednesday of the month and
produces a newsletter.

printer controllers
scanners
utllltfes

user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines

Upland VPUG
Anthony Beyenhos, Jr.
7141981-0814
Meets the third Tuesday of the
month.

style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

Ventura County VPUG
Bob Tracy
1873 Dewayne Ave.
Camarillo, CA 93010
805/482-7092
Meets on the third Tuesday of the
month (none in December).

626

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors

Colorado
Denver Ventura
Publishers
Marsha Casey or Gene McCray
303/889-4421 or 303/288-1077
Meets on the first Wednesday of
the month.

LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpf)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpf)

Front Range VPUG
(FRVPUG)
Pat Hake or jeannine Parker
Northglenn, CO
Pat: 303/457-0123
jeannine: 303/694-2993

Georgia
Ventura Users of Atlanta
Carol Lovelady
Lovelady Consulting
1100 Marlin Ridge Road
Roswell, GA 30076
404/992-1545 (Voice)
404/423-4469 (BBS)
This group publishes the monthly
newsletter InPrint. Other activities have· included a design
contest, a bulletin board, and a
services directory. Meetings are
on the second Tuesday of the
month.

other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities

user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus

Florida
Florida VP
john Glenn
813/538-2832
This group publishes a newsletter
but does not have meetings.

NFVPUG
William R. Ploss
904/376-2843
Meets third Thursday of the
month.

other resources

VPUG of Tampa
Mike Meccia
3812 Hollister Place
Brandon, PL 33511
813/978-4604
Meets on the third Tuesday of the
month.

Illinois
Chicago VPUG
Paul Hanover
Alternative Type & Graphics
Chicago,IL
7081981-1973
One group meets on the last
Thursday of the month in Des
Plaines, the other in downtown
Chicago on the first Thursday.

Chicago Electronic VPUG
George Weinerl, Sysop
312/342-7652 (BBS)

Indiana
Central Indiana VPUG
jerilyn Sander
317/257-1121
Meets on the third Wednesday of
the month at 11 :45 a.m.

627

Appendix A: Resources

Kentucky

Michigan

Louisville VPUG

Detroit VPUG

Ginny Smith or David Brooks
Louisville, KY
Ginny: 502/581-7117
David: 502/560-2562
This group meets at 11:30 a.m.,
one Thursday a month.

Eileen Brundage
Governor Information Products
Detroit, MI
3131554-2200

Maryland
Baltimore VPUG
Rick Vaughn or Jackie Watts
301/327-0069
This grou p meets the fourth
Thursday of the month.

Rockville VPUG
Donald Price
301/251-0971
Meets on the second Tuesday of
the month.

Massachusetts
Boston VPUG
Kathleen McGrath
617/329-4500, ext. 479 or
617/641-2864

Woods Hole VPUG
Dick Campbell 508/540-1309
or Dave Shephard 508/548-9600
This group meets the first Thursday of the month at 4:30 p.m.

Mid-Michigan VPUG
Cheryl Gierman
Michigan State University
162 Student Services Bldg.
East Lansing, MI 48824-1113
517/353-6650
Meets third Tuesday of the
month.

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpf)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpf)
other printers
printer controllers

Minnesota

scanners
utilities

Twin Cities VPUG
Cheryl Edwards
Laser Images Publishing and
Graphics
5900 Baker Rd.
Minnetonka, MN 55345
612/829-7483
Though I haven't seen any issues
lately, in the past this group published an amusing and informative newsletter called Hitchhiker's
Guide to Ventura, which rose
above the dull plains of desktop
publishing with inspired passages like this one from the 12/88
issue: "There is nothing quite so
exasperating as placing an
original on the glass and letting
your scanner rip, only to have
something resembling a sixties
op-art poster slide out of your
laser printer." Meets fourth Tuesday of the month.

user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

628

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

ollp art

New Jersey

LaserJet fonts
PostSorlpt fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors

New Jersey VPUG
Barry Heil
201/351-6860
Meets the third Wednesday of the
month.

LaserJet-compatlble
printers

New Mexico

PostSorlpt printers
(300 dPO
PostSorlpt printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO
other printers
printer oontrollers
soanners

Tara Kenny 505/842-9532 or
Harold Washington
505/848-1771
Meets the second Wednesday of
the month.

New York

bulletin boards

training
PostSorlpt servloe
bureaus
other resouroes

Elecia Almekinder
716/454-2770

North Carolina
Ms. Perry Primm
7041846-6016

Ohio
Adventuras

user groups

style sheets

Rochester Area VPUG

Charlotte VPUG
Ventura Publishers of
Albuquerque

utilities

newsletters and
magazines

Meets on the second Monday of
the month.

Greater Buffalo VPUG
Paul Haumesser
PCI

Terri Halpin
513/860-4402
This group meets the second
Thursday of the month and
draws folks from the Cincinnati,
Dayton and North Kentucky
areas.

704 Washington St.
Buffalo, NY 14203-1416
716/865-7181

Long Island VPUG
Ken Rubman
516/333-4488

Meets on the first Tuesday of the
month.

Oklahoma
TulsaVPUG
Rob A magna
8011D South Wheeling Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74136
918/492-3862

NYXVP Users Group
Steve Terry
Electronic Directions
23 East 4th St.
New York, NY 10003

Portland VPUG

212/533-9651
212/677-1686

Joe and Debbie Engel
5031281-3291

Oregon

629

Appendix A: Resources

This group meets the third Monday of the month.

Meets on the third Monday of the
month.

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts

Pennsylvania

Virginia

Pittsburgh VPUG

Nova-VPUG

Tom Bates
La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA
4121367-9300, ext. 180
Meets on the second Wednesday
of the month.

Sally Smith
7031237-3755
Meets on the third Tuesday of the
month.

Washington
Texas
Austin VPUG
Mary Rio
512/282-6699
Meets the last Tuesday of the
month.

Dallas!Association of
Desktop Publishers
Debbie Dickson
Responsive Computer Systems
Plano, TX
2141423-5944
Meets on the second Tuesday of
the month.

San Antonio VPUG
Dean Kennedy
512/684-4567
Meets the first Saturday of the
month at 9:30 a.m.

PUG Houston (VPUGH)
Derrick Booth
P.o. Box 270897
Houston, TX 77277
713/840-8098

font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpJ)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpJ)
other printers

Northwest VPUG
(NWVPUG)
Chad Canty
Seattle Micro Publishing
c/o Banc Press
2001 Sixth Ave. #1703
Seattle, WA 98121
206/328-4144
206/322-8655

Wisconsin
Madison VPUG
Art Saffran
State Bar of Wisconsin
P.O. Box 7158
Madison, Wl53707
608/257-3838

Milwaukee VPUG
Gordon Kraemer
Laser Images Again & Again
5429 Montgomery Dr.
Greendale, Wl53129
4141421-0179
4141421-8824

printer controllers
scanners
utilities

user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

630

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors

Australia
VPUG Australia
Cynthia Kuiper
Future Technologies, Ltd.
433 Kent St., 5th Floor
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 261-4211

LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpD
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpD
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups

bulletin boards

Canada
Ottawa Carleton VPUG
Terry Taller
613/829-5320

Vancouver Electronic
Publishing Association!
Ventura Special Interest
Group
Lance Bracken
Vancouver, B.G. V5T 4E9
6041682-8372

newsletters and
magazines

c/o George Weinert
312/342-7652

Columbus VPUG BBS
Shawn Ingram
Information Exchange BBS
Enhanced Data Systems
Columbus, OH
614/863-9064 (voice)
614/863-9065 (BBS)

Eastern Publisher's
Exchange
713/781-2432

Ventura Conference on
CompuServe

Bulletin
Boards
Adobe Conference on
CompuServe

Ventura Professonal
Forum

training

other resources

Chicago Electronic VPUG

Dial your local CompuServe
access number. For information on CompuServe, call
800/848-8199. In Ohio call
614/457-0802.
To access the Ventura Conference, type GO XEROX from
the CompuServe prompt.

style sheets

PostScript service
bureaus

letin board has a special section
on Adobe's PC fonts, including
screen fonts for the 35 resident
typefaces and a downloading
utility.

Dial your local CompuServe
access number. For information
on CompuServe, call
800/848-8199. In Ohio call
614/457-0802.
To access the Adobe Conference,
type GO ADOBE from the
CompuServe prompt. The bul-

408/227-4818
408/227-0223
This bulletin board is open to
anyone, though some special
files are open only to subscribers
to Ventura Professional magazine. The parameters for this for-

631

Appendix A: Resources

urn are 2400/1200/300 baud, 8
bits, no parity, 1 stop bit.

Western Publisher's
Exchange
7141739-5150

Newsletters
and
Magazines
PC Publishing
Hunter PUblishing Company
950 Lee Street
Des Plaines, IL 60016
Since being acquired by Hunter
Publishing, PC Publishing has
greatly improved the quality of its
coverage of Ventura-related topics. The magazine includes regular columns on Ventura and PostScript, and has feature articles on
fonts.

Personal Publishing
Hitchcock Publishing Company
25W550 Geneva Rd.
Wheaton, IL 60188-2292
312/665-1000
Published monthly, this is the
oldest desktop publishing
magazine, covering both hardware and software for both the
Macintosh and the PC.

Publish!

clip art

501 Second St. #600
San Francisco, CA 94107
415/546-7722
A sister publication of PC World
and Macworld, this magazine
covers a wide range of desktop
publishing topics, both Macintosh and PC. It is the best source
of guidance on design.

LaserJet fonts

Seybold Report on
Desktop Publishing
Seybold Publications, Inc.
Box 644
Media, PA 19063
215/565-2480
It doesn't come cheap ($192 for
12 monthly issues in the U.S.,
$198 in Canada, and $210 overseas), but if you really want to
know what's what in the desktop
publishing industry, this is the
newsletter to read. If you're interested in topics like PostScript
clones, color desktop publishing,
or the latest on the font wars, the
in-depth feature articles in
Seybold are better than anything
you'll find in regular computer or
desktop publishing magaZines.

Step-by-Step Electronic
Design
Dynamic Graphics, Inc.
6000 North Forest Park Dr.
Peoria, IL 61614-3592
This monthly color newsletter offers valuable and timely information on new design techniques,
typography, graphics, and
software and hardware. Special
features include the how-to of
complex design production and a
question-and-answer section.

PostScript fonts
font tools
graphIcs software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScrIpt printers
(300 dpD
PostScript prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dpD
other prInters
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletIn boards

newsletters
and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus
other resources

632

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt prInters
(300 dpl)
PostScrIpt prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other prInters
prInter controllers
scanners
utilItIes

Ventura Professional!
Ventura Publisher Users Group
(vpUG)
7502 Aaron Place
San Jose, CA 95139
408/227-5030
408/224-9086 fax
Bulletin Board: 408/227-4818
(2400/1200/300 baud, no
parity, 8 bits, 1 stop bit)
Ventura Professional is the magazine of VPUG, which also
operates the Ventura Professional
Forum. Each issue of Ventura
Professional is devoted to a special topic, such as fonts,
databases, or newsletters. Among
the regular departments is Xerox
Pipeline, in which professional
Ventura support personnel
answer tough technical questions.

user groups
bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazInes

style sheets
traInIng
PostScrIpt servIce
bureaus

Style Sheets for Business
Documents, Style Sheets
for Newsletters, Style
Sheets for Technical
Documentation
New Riders Publishing
P. O. Box 4846
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
818/991-5392
For details on this collection, see
Table 9-2 in Chapter 9, "Working
with Style Sheets."

Ventura Designer Style
Sheets
BCA/Desktop Designs
P.O. Box 2191
Walnut Creek, CA 94595
800/727-8953
415/946-1716
For details on this collection, see
Table 9-2 in Chapter 9, "Working
with Style Sheets."

VPDesigner Style Sheets

Style
Sheets

other resources

Document Gallery Style
Sheets
MicroPublishing
21150 Hawthorne Blvd. #104
Torrance, CA 90503
213/371-5787
For details on this collection, see
Table 9-2 in Chapter 9, "Working
with Style Sheets."

HyperFormance, Inc.
4906 Fitzhugh Avenue
Suite 107
Richmond, VA 23230
8041355-0083
This set includes over 40 style
sheets. Sample chapters are illustrated in the manual, which
also details the production
process.

Will-Harris Designer
Disks
Designer Disks, Dept. V
P.O. Box 1235
Point Reyes, CA 94956
For details on this collection, see
Table 9-2 in Chapter 9, "Working
with Style Sheets."

633

Appendix A: Resources

Training
Desktop Publishing
Solutions
ABC Information Systems
P.O. Box 1228
Royal Oak, MI48068-1228
This is a video training course for
Ventura. It includes two
videocassettes, a workbook, and
exercises on a floppy disk.

VideoTutor training
videos
Video Tutor
110 Wild Basin Road #280
Austin, TX 78746
This series of video training tapes
includes a basic package and an
advanced package.

updates the list quarterly. To access the Fomm, type GO ADOBE
from the CompuServe prompt.
For information about CompuServe, call 800/848-8199. In Ohio
call 614/457-0802.
Another source of information
on service bureaus is the Association of Imaging Service Bureaus,
5700 L.W. Market St., Greensboro, NC 27409; phone 800/9629480 or 919/855-0400; fax
919/292-9203.
Nearly all of the service
bureaus listed here have either a
Linotronic 100 (1,270 dpi) or
Linotronic 300 (2,540 dpi)
typesetter. Some have a Varityper
vr600, a plain-paper typesetter
with 600-dpi resolution. Typically, Linotronic output mns $4 to
$8 per page, while Varityper output may be as cheap as $1 per
page. Many service bureaus provide other services, including
scanning and porting files from
Mac disks to PC disks.

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools
graphIcs software
monItors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt prInters
(300 dpl)
PostScrIpt prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other prInters
prInter controllers
scanners
utilitIes
user groups

bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazInes

style sheets

PostScript
Service
Bureaus
This list of PostScript service
bureaus was originally downloaded from the Adobe Fomm on
CompuServe and then pared
down considerably by a sending
a letter to each service bureau.
Those that did not respond were
eliminated from the list. Adobe

Alabama
Bransby Productions
2124 Metro Circle
Huntsville, AL 35801
205/880-0452

Computer Publisher
400 River Hills Business Park
Suite 405
Birmingham, AL 35242
205/991-0032

training
PostScript
seNice
bureaus
other resources

634

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools

Comp-U-Type
1920 10th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35205
205/323-8898
205/323-8830 modem

graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatible
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dPO
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO

Arizona
Alphagraphics
3760 N. Commerce Dr.
Tucson, AZ 85705
6021293-9200
800/332-1616

other printers
printer controllers

Arkansas

Applied Graphics
Technologies (was
Computer Typesetting)
601 Rodier Drive
Glendale, CA 91201
213/245-4111

Aptos Post Typography
101 Madeline Drive
Suite 202
Aptos, CA 95003
408/688-7474

Cal Sierra Lt.
737 Arnold Dr.
Martinez, CA 94553
415/372-4200

scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards

Royal Grapli1cs
523 West 7th St.
Little Rock, AR 72201
501/375-8255

newsletters and
magazines
style sheets

Cal,[ornia

training

5th Street Computer
PostScript
service
bureaus

1794 Fifth St.
Berkeley, CA 94710
415/843-8973

other resources

Advanced Electronics
329 Howard Drive
Santa Clara, CA 95051
408/984-3689

Design & Type, Inc.
739 Bryant St.
San Francisco, CA 94107
415/495-6280

DynaType Graphics
Center
501 East Harvard St.
Glendale, CA 91205
818/243-1114
818/243-0734 fax
818/243-2502 modem

Gary Walton Graphics,
Inc.
229 Polaris Ave., #8
Mountain View, CA 94043
415/961-0778

Graphics Plus
3760 South Robertson Blvd.
Suite 202
Culver City, CA 90232
213/559-3732

635

Appendix A: Resources

Krishna Copy Center
66 Kearny St.
San Francisco, CA 94108
415/986-6161

Southern California
PrintCorp.
1010 East Union St. #205
Pasadena, CA 91107
818/795-7795

Krishna Copy Center
543 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94105
415/543-3688

:Krishna Copy Center
2111 University Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94704
, 415/540-5959

Matrix Communications
229Pajaro
Salinas, CA 93901
408/757-4164

2054 University Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94704
415/843-4960

Personal Publishing
Service Bureau
1317 East Edinger
Santa Ana, CA 92705
714/558-0323
714/558-0324

LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software

Synergistic Data Systems,
Inc.
P.O. Box 127
Sierra Madre, CA 91025
818/351-7717 voice mail
818/351-8622 office

TechArt
400 Pacific Ane.
San Francisco, CA 94133
415/362-1110
415/362-2811 fax

TrunkUne
one-Stop Desktop

clip art

8800 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
213/204-2777
213/204-0270 BBS

The Typesetting Shop,
Inc.
5236 Claremont Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
415/654-5404
415/256-6300

monitors
LaserJet-compatible
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpf)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpf)
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training

PostScript
seNice
bureaus
other resources

Pinnacle Publishing
Services
55 Osgood Place
San Francisco, CA 94133
415/989-8973

Colorado
Mel Typesetting
1519 South Pearl Street
Denver, CO 80210
303/777-5571

636

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools

ps: Computer Graphics,
Inc.
4730 Walnut Street, #101
Boulder, CO 80301
303/939-9881

graphics software
monitors
LaserJet-compatible
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dPO
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO
other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utl/lt/es
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines

PostScript
service
bureaus
other resources

Comp-U-Type
3019 Peachtree Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
404/364-9272
404/364-9263 modem

Connecticut
Atlantic Group
10 Fairfield Ave.
Stamford, CT 06902
203/359-4228

District Of
Columbia
Electric Logic
2025 Eye St. NW
Suite 220
Washington, DC 20006
202/223-9115

style sheets
training

Georgia

Florida
Comp-U-Type

Comp-U-Type
229 Mitchell Street, SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
404/ 659-3696
404/659-8392 modem

Comp-U-Type
3700 Holcombe Bridge Road
Suite 1
Norcross, GA 30092
404/263-7364
404/263-0126 modem

Comp-U-Type
3204 Northlake Pkwy.
Atlanta, GA 30345
404/934-5220
404/934-5571 modem

Comp-U-Type

1523 San Marco Blvd.
jacksonVille, FL 32207
904/346-0853
904/346-0856

2250 Cobb Parkway #42
Marietta, GA 30080
404/952-6294
404/952-6324 modem

George Hall Typography,
Inc.

Comp-V-Type

3417 w: Lemon
Tampa, FL 33609
813/870-1862

1182 Grimes Bridge Rd. #400
Roswell, GA 30075
404/587-3100
404/587-4512 modem

637

Appendix A: Resources

Comp-U-Type

Xpress Graphics

clip art

5975 Roswell Road, #125
Atlanta, GA 30328
404/843-2050
404/843-3047 modem

137 N. Oak Park Ave. #200
Oak Park, IL 60301
312/848-8651

LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software

Hawaii

Indiana

Creative Resources

David G. Dull &
Associates

839 Queen St.
Honolulu, HI 96813
808/533-1715

25762 Minor Rd.
Elkhart, IN 46514
219/262-8611

Illinois
Alternative Type &
Graphics
9700 w: Foster Ave.
Chicago, IL 60656
312/992-2050

Electronic Imaging Inc.
515 North Neil Street
Champaign,IL 61820
217/351-1550
217/351-1558fax

Lasercom, Inc.
1701 E. Lake Ave.
Glenview, IL 60025
312/724-2490

LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)
other prInters

Iowa

printer controllers

Computer Graphic Center

scanners

605 12th St.
Des Moines, L4 50309
515/282-0000

utilities
user groups
bulletin boards

Kansas

newsletters and
magazines
style sheets

Commercial Art Service
9112 Constance St.
Lenexa, KS 66215
913/894-9391

Holland Printing
1007 E. 162nd St.
South Holland, IL 60473
708/596-9000

monitors

training

PostScript
seNice
bureaus
other resources

Kentucky
Cobb Typesetting
901 Monmouth St.
Newport, KY 41071
606/291-1146

638

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

clip art
LaserJet fonts
PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software

Louisiana
Professional Publications
1646 Belmont Ave.
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
5041346-0707

monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)

Wordwrap, Inc.
10 Church Street
North Attleboro, MA 02760
508/695-8066
508/695-8096 fax

Michigan
Maine
G & G Laser Typesetting
1030 Congress St.
Portland, ME 04102
207/774-7338

Mac Typenet
P.O. Box 3009
37911 West Twelve Mile Rd.
EntranceB
Farmington Hills, MI 48333
313/553-0880

other printers
printer controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards

Maryland
F.E.A. Laser Service
2404 Ravenview Rd.
Timonium, MD 21093
301/252-8910

newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training

PostScript
seNice
bureaus
other resources

Spectrnm Arts Ltd.
1823 Eutaw Pl.
Baltimore, MD 21217
301/462-6900

Minnesota
NWprlntcrafters, Inc.
287 East Sixth St.
St. Paul, MN 55101
612/227-7721

TypeMasters
4246 Park Glen Road
Minneapolis, MN 55426
612/927-9260
612/927-0589 fax

Massachusetts
Nevada
TeleTypesetting
474 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston, MA 02215
617/266-6792

TelellnPesetting
311 Harvard Street
Brookline, MA 02146
617/734-9700

Laser Grapbix
3250 B Polluc
Las Vegas, NV 89102
702/871-5511

639

Appendix A: Resources

New Hampshire
Amanuensis
300E Bedford St.
Manchester, NH 03101
603/624-2704

Micropage

clip art

900 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
212/533-9180

LaserJet fonts

font tools
graphics software

Ohio

New Jersey
Graphic Connexions, Inc.
10 Abeel Rd.
Cranbury, NJ 08512
609/655-8970

1 Harmony Brass Castle Rd.
Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
201/454-1544

New York
Associated Graphic
Services, Ltd.
13 Northern Blvd.
Albany, NY 12210
518/465-1497
518/426-3437 fax

LaserJet-compatlble
printers

640 Northland Blvd.
Cincinnati, OH 45240
513/742-4102

PostScript printers
(300 dpl)
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dpl)

6 West 18th St.
New York, NY 10011
212/989-1100

Graphique Advertising
Group
306 Warren Street
North Babylon, NY 11703
516/321-4907

other printers
printer controllers

Dynagraphics, Inc.
300 N. W. 14th Street
Portland, OR 97209
503/228-9453

scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletin boards

Pennsylvania

newslefters and
magazines

Centre Gratlk

style sheets

950 West Valley Rd. #3004
Wayne, PA 19087
215/688-2949

training

CRExpress
Axiom Design Systems

monitors

Jala Advertising Inc.

Oregon
Harmony Press

PostScript fonts

841 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215/829-9611

General Press
Corporation
P.O. Box 316, Allegheny Dr.
Natrona Heights, PA 15065
412/224-3500

PostScript
seNice
bureaus
other resources

640

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Clip art

LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools
graphIcs software
monItors

Rhode Island
Aquidneck Graphics &
Publishing Services

4204 Woodcock Drive
Suite 201
San Antonio, TX 78228
5121736-6400

Aquidneck Industrial Park
Middletown, RI 02840
401/849-9930

Type Case, Inc.
611 Alston Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 76104

LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt prInters
(300 dpQ
PostScrIpt prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dpQ
other prInters

South Carolina

utilitIes
user groups
bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazInes

1500 Highway 501
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
803/448-7777

Tennessee

Virginia
220 Industrial Dr.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
703/898-7600

Macfactory
120 20th Ave. S.
Nashville, TN 37203

615/327-3437
615/327-1758

traInIng

other resources

817/336-1381 fax

Tamarac Press

style sheets

PostScript
seNice
bureaus

817/332-7563

Patrick Graphics

prInter controllers
scanners

lisat Systems

Texas
Ink Spot Printing
Services, Corp.
1346 Lee Trevino
El Paso, TX 79936

915/598-1138

Washington
Seattle Imagesetting, Inc.
Bldg. Q, Suite 111
19428 66th Ave. S.
Kent, WA 98032
206/251-5856
206/251-5965 fax

Seattle Imagesetting, Inc.
3940 150th Ave. S.
Redmon~ WA 98052
206/881-1866
206/883-8305 fax

The Lazer's Edge, Inc.
4001 Broadway
San Antonio, TX 78209
5121494-9586

Seattle Imagesetting, Inc.
1415 First Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98104
206/382-1633

641

Appendix A: Resources

clip art

Wisconsin
Desktop Publishing
Centers
300 North Van Buren St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202
414/223-4333

Other
Resources

2885 South Moorland Rd.
New Berlin, WI 53151
414/797-7411

Canada
Ampersand Typographers
57 Research Rd.
Toronto, Ontario M4G 2G8
416/422-1444

Boldface Technologies
Inc.
6046 A 97th St.
Edmonton, Alberta T6E 3J4
403/437-0632

Management Graphics,
Inc.
1450 Lodestar Rd., Unit 1
Downsview, Ontario M3J 3Cl
416/638-8877

PostScript fonts
font tools
graphics software

CGMpix
Granite Finance Corp.
Computer Services Group

LaserJet fonts

41 Sutter St. #1850
San Francisco, CA 94101
800/452-4445 ext. 1130
800/626-9541 ext. 1130 (CA)
This company converts company
logos and other graphics into
CGM files, which can be imported into Ventura, scaled to any
size, and printed on any kind of
laser printer.

monitors
LaserJet-compatlble
printers
PostScript printers
(300 dPO
PostScript printers
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO
other printers
printer controllers
scanners

LaserColor
Imagineering
3875 Nautical Dr.
Carlsbad, CA 92008
619/434-7718
If you're tired of always printing
monotonous black with your
laser printer, you'll love this lowtech solution. It's an assortment
of colored film that lets you apply
color to any text or graphics on a
page. The procedure is simple.
You cut out a piece of the film,
attach it to the area to which you
want to transfer color, and run
the page through the laser printer
as though you were printing a
blank page. The heat of the laser
printer rollers seals the color onto
the black toner, and the results
are fantastic!

utilities
user groups
bulletin boards
newsletters and
magazines
style sheets
training
PostScript service
bureaus

other resources

642

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Clip art

LaserJet fonts
PostScrIpt fonts
font tools
graphIcs software
monItors
LaserJet-compatlble
prInters
PostScrIpt printers
(300 dPO
PostScrIpt prInters
and typesetters
(above 300 dPO
other prInters
prInter controllers
scanners
utilities
user groups
bulletIn boards
newsletters and
magazInes
style sheets
traInIng
PostScript service
bureaus

other resources

Logos On-line
Software Complement
8 Pennsylvania Ave.
Matamoras, PA 18336
717/491-2492, 717/491-2495
This custom service renders a
company's logo or signature in
PostScript, EPS format.

Wordscapes
4546 B10
El Camino Real #177
Los Altos, CA 94022
415/968-8737
This service converts company
logos and other graphics into Encapsulated PostScript files, which
can be imported into Ventura,
scaled to any size, and printed on
PostScript (not LaserJet) printers.
They can also format custom
graphics into PostScript fonts that
are Ventura compatible.

AppendixB
Graphics
Program
Compatibility
Ventura's ability to import text in Computer Graphics Metafile
(CGM) , Document Exchange Format (DXF) , Hewlett-Packard
Graphics Language (HPGL), and VideoS how (NAPLPS) formats
gives you access to a large number of drawing, business graphics,
scientific graphics, and CAD packages. The lists provided here
were compiled by third-party vendors of products that support
each format. However, the fact that a product appears on one of
the lists does not mean that it has been tested for actual compatibility with Ventura. CGM files in particular have an erratic
track record: some import into Ventura, others do not.

644

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

CGM
20/20 - Access Technology
A/GRAPH - Donovan Data Systems
Allspice - Acotech
Apollo - ABA Groups
ARC+ - Architecture and Computer Aids
Artline - Digital Research
Arts & Letters - Computer Support Corporation
ASI Font System - Analytical Software
Business Strategist and Business
Simulator - Reality Development Corporation
CADTEC - Itautec Information S/A
Cadwrite - IBM
CASE Manager - Computer Aided Structural
Engineering
COGO Pac - Maptech
Concept 100 - Concept Technologies
Corel Draw - Corel Systems Corporation
Custom/QC - Stochos
DaVinci Business Graphics Package Professional Research Consultants
Designer - Micrografx:
Display - ISSCO
ESTIMATION/Automatics - Tipnis
Excalibur - Communication Dynamics
Fortgraph APA - Digital Communications
Associates
Freelance - Lotus
GAF - Simulation Software Systems
GPOS-7 - Planmetrics
GRAFI'IME - Genigraphics Corporation
Graph 6 Application Development
Facility - Honeywell Corporation
Graphics Operating System - University of
Texas
Harvard Presentation Graphics - Software
Publishing
Hornet 5000 - Claremont Controls
IRMAGRAF - Eastman Kodak

Labtech Notebook - Laboratory Technology
Corporation
LARSA - Innovative Analysis
LLCOGO - Lewis and Lewis
MathPlan 3.0 - Wordperfect Corporation
Matrix-X - Integrated Systems
Mavis - Robinson Associates
Metal BuUding Program - International
Structural Engineers
Micro Cadam - CADAM
MicroCAD - Imagimedia Technologies
MicroCUBE - McDonnell Douglas
MicroTrak - Soffrak Systems
OPTEC - Sciopt Enterprises
Opus - Optim Electronics
PC Link A Graph - ISSCO
PC-DOE - CA Systems International
pcEXPRESS - Information Resources
Personal Engineer - Computervision Corporation
PlotTrack - Soffrak Systems
PMS80 - Pinnell Engineering
PROCAD 4.02 - Interactive CAD Systems
Q.E.D. DAC - Hart Scientific
R:BASE Graphics - Microrim
RedIiner - Auto-Trol Technology
Route Assist - Logistics Resource
Sigma-Plot and Sigma-Scan - Jandel Scientific
Simscript n.5 - CACI
SIPSURF - Delfts Spline Systems
Sound Presentations - Communication
Dynamics
SPC-PC - Quality America
SPD - Tektronix
ST-PC Translator - Sangamo Weston
Super Sceptre - Austria Microsystems
Surface Display System - Design Professionals Management Systems
Technology Futures Software Ubrary Technology Futures
TextCharts - Hewlett-Packard
Timepiece - Communications Dynamics
VIA - Tektronix
Viewpoint Graphics - Computer Aided
Management

Appendix B: Graphics Program Compatibility

VSA Software - Applied Computer Solutions
XICAMM - Xiris Corporation.

DXF
ACAM Standalone - Leonard Systems, Inc.
ANSSYS/PC Products - Swanson Analysis
.
Systems, Inc.
Autoyacht/Autoship - Coastdesign, inc.
Bartsch NC/Step - Bartsch Corp.
CAMEAZE - P-CAN CAD-CAM Inc.
CAMplot - Tipnis Software Systems, Inc.
Contour - Civilsoft, Inc.
COSMO/M - Structural Research and
Analysis Corp.
Details Library - Laticrete International, Inc.
Electronic Symbols Library - GT Systems
Equalizer - Microdata Technology, Inc.
Formats - CAD Technology Corp.
GeoCAD/CAM - Anderson-O'Brien, Inc.
GEOCAM - Com Technology, Inc.
GEOCAM - Solutionware Corp.
GEOLINK - Solutionware Corp.
GEOPAm IV - CIM Technology, Inc.
Geopoint IV - Anderson-O'Brien
GEOTEKI - Datamat Programming Systems,
Inc.
GEOTEK2 - Datamat Programming Systems,
Inc.
GEOTEK3 - Datamat Programming Systems,
Inc.
GRAFX+ - Datacut Inc.
Hand-Drafted Drawing Capture - FSA, Inc.
Highway Design Program-HDP - Civilsoft,
Inc.
Image - Burghof Engineering Co.
Inertia/lnerbeam - Modern Computer
Aided Engineering, Inc.

645

Inertia/Inerfram - Modern Computer
Aided Engineering, Inc.
Inertia/lnerprop - Modern Computer
Aided Enginerring, Inc.
Inertia/lnertruss - Modern Computer
Aided Engineering, Inc.
INTEGRATOR-X - Autographic Digitrol, Inc.
MECH-LIB2 - CAD Technology
MSUpal 2 - MacNeal-Schwendler Corp.
NC Wire EDM - Tipnis Software Systems,
Inc.
Power Writer - Compucor
Pro-Vision - Caetec Systems, Inc.
Process Planning Automatics - Tipnis
Software Systems, Inc.
Tubecad - Cone & Cone

HPGL
3-D GRAPHIXX - Universal Integraphix
Corp.
4-Point Graphics - International Microcomputer Software
ACSL - Mitchell, Gauthier & Associates
ACX VM Printer Manager - ACX Software
ADC 400 - Holguin Corp.
Advanced Graphics Software - Auto-Trol
Technology Corp.
AMS Time Machine - Diversified Information Services
ANALECT DSS Graphics - Dialogue, Inc.
ANVIL-IOOO MD - Manufacturing and Consulting Services
ANVIL-4000 - Manufacturing and Consulting
Services
AQUABASE - Tecsoft Inc.
ARMCHEM - H & H Molecular Graphics

646

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

ASYST Scientific Software - Hewlett-Packard Company
ATLAS - Strategic Locations Planning
ATLAS AMP - Strtegic Locations Planning
AURA- BPI
AutoCAD - Autodesk, Inc.
AutoCAD AEC - Autodesk, Inc.
Automated Drafting System - Holguin
Corp.
AutoSketch - Autodesk, Inc.
Autmn - Zenographics, Inc,
Azimuth 87 - Azimuth
Banyan Network Server - Banyan Systems,
Inc.
Boardroom Graphics - Analytical Software,
Inc.
BPS Business Graphics - Business & Professional Software
CAD-l+ - Robo Systems Corp.
CAD-2 - Robo Systems Corp.
CADAPPLE - T & W Systems
CADD200-300 - Tensegrity, Inc.
CADKEY - Micro Control Systems, Inc.
CAD Master 2000 - Datagraphics Business
Systems
CAE-I - Personal CAD Systems, Inc.
CAE-2 - Personal CAD Systems, Inc.
Cascade X - Cascade Graphics Systems
CEADS-MACRO - Holguin Corp.
CGX/3 - Jared Graphics, Inc.
ChartBuster - Interchart Software, Inc.
Chart-Master - Decision Resources, Inc.
COGO-80-86 - Civilsoft
COGO-PC PLUS - Civilsoft
Context MBA - Hewlett-Packard Company
CONTOUR - Civilsoft
Conturing System - Precision Visuals, Inc.
Contour Plotting System - Holguin Corp.
Control Charts - Software Consulting Group
Coordinate Geometry Plus - The Lietz
Company
CPERT - Collins & Associates
CPS/PC - Radian Corp.
Cricket Graph - Cricket Software
CURVE DIGITIZER - West Coast Consultants
DASH-PLOT-HP - Futurenet

Data Evaluation Program - R & L Software
Data Evaluation System - R & L Software
Data Grapher - Hewlett-Packard Company
Data CAD - Microtecture Corp.
Design Board Professional- Mega CADD,
Inc.
DGI ORGANIZATION - Decision Graphics,
Inc.
DGI SIGNMAKER - Decision Graphics, Inc.
DGI TYPE SHOP - Decision Graphics, Inc.
DGS-2000 - Data Automation
DI-3000 - Precision visuals, Inc.
DI-TEXTPRO - Precision Visuals,
DiagramMaster - Decision Resources, Inc.
Diagraph - Computer Support Corp.
DISSPIA - ISSCO
DRAFIX I - Foresight Resources Corp.
Drawit - Graphicus
DV-Tools - V.I. Corp.
EARTHWK - Civilsoft
Earthwork (SURVOL) - Holguin Corp.
EasyCAD - Evolution Computing
EMU-TEK - ITG Data Systems
ENABLE - The Software Group
ENCORE! - Ferox Microsystems, Inc.
EnerCharts - Enertronics Research, Inc.
EnerConnect-Program 1 - Enertronic Research, Inc.
EnerConnect-Program 2 - Enertronic Research, Inc.
EnerGraphics - Enertronics Research, Inc.
ESP-200 Volume 1: COGO-200 - Pacsoft,
Inc.
ESP-200 Volume 2: PacDraft-200 - Pacsoft,
Inc.
ESP-200 Volume 3: Roads-200 - Pacsoft,
Inc.
Excelerator - Index Technology Corp.
Executive Picture Show - PC Software
Facilities Design & Management - Design
Futures, Inc.
FIGARO - TEMPLATE Software
FINGRAPH n - Graphic M*I*S, Inc.
Framework ill - Ashton-Tate
Freelance - Graphic Communications, Inc.
GEM Draw - Digital Research, Inc.

Appendix B: Graphics Program Compatibility

GEM Wordchart - Digital Research, Inc.
Generic CADD - Generic Software, Inc.
GEOCONTOUR-GEOCOMPCo~.

GEOPLOT - Geoglobal Systems, Inc.
Giraph Business Graphics - Compuvision
International
GK-2000 - Precision Visuals, Inc.
GKSGRAL - TEMPLATE Software
GRAF - Computer Resources, Inc.
Grafit - Graphicus
GRAFKIT - GEOCOMP Co~.
GRAFMAKER - Precision Visuals, Inc.
GRAFPAK-GKS - Advanced Technology Center
GRAPHER - Golden Software, Inc.
GraphiC - Scientific Endeavors Co~.
Graphic-ll - Data Processing Design, Inc.
Graphics/lOOO-n - Hewlett-Packard Company
Graphics/9000 - Hewlett-Packard Company
Graphics Connection - California Computer Applications
Graphics Editor - Hewlett-Packard Company
Graphics Instruction Device (GRID)Responsive Logic
Graph-in-the-Box - New England Software,
Inc.
GrapbPIan - Chang Laboratories, Inc.
GraphStation - Software Clearing House,
Inc.
GraphTalk - Software Solutions
Graphwriter - Graphic Communications,
Inc.
GRFXl-The Font System - RDS Systems,
Inc.
GSSO-Chart - GSS
GSS-Drivers - GSS
HALO - Media Cybernetics, Inc.
Harvard Graphics - Software Publishing
Co~.

High Tech Business Graphics - Lati-Corp,
Inc.
HiWIRE - Wintek Co~.
HOLGUIN-CAD - Holguin Co~.
HP Draw - Hewlett-Packard Company

647

HP Easychart - Hewlett-Packard Company
HP EGS - Hewlett-Packard Company
HP-GKS - Hewlett-Packard Company
HP Graphics Presentations - Hewlett-Packard Company
HP Logic DesignStation Software Hewlett-Packard Company
HP Map - Hewlett-Packard Company
HP META-Modal - Hewlett-Packard Company
HP Printed Circuit Design System Hewlett-Packard Company
HP Project Management - Hewlett-Packard
Company
HP Vista - Hewlett-Packard Company
HP's Charting Gallery - Hewlett-Packard
Company
HP's Drawing Gallery - Hewlett-Packard
Company
HP's DSG/3000 - Hewlett-Packard Company
HP's Gallery Collection - Hewlett-Packard
Company
HP's TextCharts/PC - Hewlett Packard
m Graph - Data Processing Design, Inc.
IDRAW - Design Futures, Inc.
IN-A-VISION - Micrografx, Inc.
InterDRAW - Interchart Software, Inc.
InterORG - Interchart Software, Inc.
Javelin - Javelin Software Co~.
Jet-Plot - Responsive Logic
Jet-Sketch - Responsive Logic
KeyChart - Softkey/Software Products Inc.
Kinetic Graphics System - Kinetic Presentations, Inc.
Kinetic Graphs - Kinetic Presentations, Inc.
Kinetic Layout - Kinetic Presentaitons, Inc.
Kinetic Words - Kinetic Presentations, Inc.
LC DATA - Collins & Associates
Mac3D - Challenger Software
MacPlot Professional - Microspot/Compservco
MacPlots n - Computer Shoppe
MacPlot Standard - Microspot/Compservco
Map Bunder - Geosoft Co~.
Map-Master - Decision Resources, Inc.
Master Diagram System - Holguin Corp.

648

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

MAXpc Mapping Software - National Planning Data Corp.
McCAD EDSC - VAMP, Inc.
McCAD PCB - VAMP, Inc.
MD-PLOT - Maersk Data, Inc.
ME Series 5, 10, and 30 - Hewlett-Packard
Company
Metafile - Precision Visuals, Inc.
MiCAD - Eesof, Inc.
Microsoft Chart, Version 2.0 - Microsoft
Corp.
Microsoft Windows - Microsoft Corp.
MicroStation - Bentley Systems, Inc.
microwave SPICE - Eesof, Inc.
Mirage - Zenographics, Inc.
MODLER - Alphametrics Corp.
Molkey - H & H Molecular Graphics
MSYS I: Scientific Data Plotting - Marcus
Systems
MSYS m; Business Charts - Marcus Systems
MultiMap - Planning Data Systems
Nimbus - Media Cybernetics, Inc.
NOVA*GKS - Nova Graphics International
OMNIPLOT - Microcompatibles
Open Access - Software Products International
Open Access n - Software Products International
Org Plus - Banner Blue
OSLO, Super-Oslo - Sinclair Optics, Inc.
Palette - Palette Systems Inc.
PCB-1 - Personal CAD systems, Inc.
PCB-2 - Personal CAD systems, Inc.
PCB-3 - Personal CAD systems, Inc.
OCB-THERMAL - Pacific Numerix
PCchart/PCartist - Aztek
PC-DRAW - Micrografx, Inc.
PC/FOCUS - Information Builders, Inc.
PC-Slide - Management Graphics, Inc.
Personal Architect System - Computervision Corp.
Personal Designer System - Comptervision
Corp.
Personal Machinist System - Compervision Corp.
PERT+ - Professional Applications

PertPlotter - Westiminster Software
PFS: Graph - Software Publishing Corp.
PFS: Professional Planner - Software
Publishing Corp.
PicSure - Precision Visuals, Inc.
Picture Perfect - Computer Support Corp.
PIANTRAC - Computerline, Inc.
Plot88 - Plotworks, Inc.
PLOTCHEM - Tecsoft Inc.
PLOT IT - Collins & Associates
Plot-It - Mesa Graphics Inc.
Plots n - Computer Shoppe
Plotstart - SoftStyle, Inc.
Plotter Driver Program - BV Engineering
PlotTrak - Softrak Systems
POINTE - Neotek Software, Inc.
Polymaps - Chautauguasoft Division of crus
PRESENTATION GRAPHICS - Arens Applied Electomagnetics, Inc.
PrimavisioniPrimavera Project Primavera Systems, Inc.
Prime Plotter HP Plotter Interface Primesoft Corp.
Print Server - Nestar Systems
Project Scheduler 5000 Plus Graphics Scitor Corp.
Project Scheduler Network - Scitor Corp.
Project Workbench - Applied Business
Technology
PseudoPlot - Bentley Systems, Inc.
QMS ConceptDesigner - QMS Concept
Technolgies
Quik Circuit - Bishop GraphicS CAD Systems
RANDMAP - Rand McNally
RENDER - Multiware, Inc.
Robo CAD-PC - Robo Systems Corp.
SAMNA Decision Graphics - SAMNA Corp.
SAS/Graph Software - SAS Institute, Inc.
SAS/RTERM - SAS Institute, Inc.
Schedule Graflx - Digital Engineering
Scientific Plotter, Version n - Interactive
Microware, Inc.
Scientific Plotter-PC+ - Interactive
Microware, Inc.

Appendix B: Graphics Program Compatibility

Series 80 Graphics Presentations Pac Hewlett-Packard Company
SIGMA-PLOT - Jandel Scientific
Sign-Master - Decision Resources, Inc.
Site Comp IT V.5 - Land Innovation, Inc.
SlideWrite - Advanced Graphics Software,
Inc.
SlideWrite Plus - Advanced Graphics
Software, Inc.
Smart Software System - Innovative
Software Inc.
smARTWORK - Wintek Corp.
Sound Presentations - Communication
Dynamics, Inc.
Space Tracker - Facilities Management
Dynamics, Inc.
SPSS Graphics - SPSS, Inc.
Starbase Graphics Library - Hewlett-Packard Company
STORMWATER HYDROLOGY - Pacsoft, Inc.
"super" MicroCAD - Imagimedia Technologies, Inc.
SuperCalc3 - Computer Associates International
SuperCalc4 - Computer Associates International
SuperProject Plus - Computer Associates International
Symphony, Release 1.0 - Lotus Development Corp.
Symphony, Release 1.1. - Lotus Development Corp.
TalkShowfpc - Interchart Software Inc.
Tekalike - Mesa Graphics Inc.
TELLAGRAF - ISSCO
TEMPLATE - TEMPLATE Software
The "WHAT IF.. ?" System - H.E.A.D. Consulting, Inc.
TMODEL: UTll.ITY-HPPLOTU - Professional Solutions, Inc.
TOPOGRAPHY - Pacsoft, Inc.
Touchstone - Eesof Inc.
TRANSLATE - Tecsoft Inc.
TYP-SET ENTER Computer, Inc.
Vanguard CAE Design System - Case Technology

649

VersaCAD Advanced - T & W Systems, Inc.
VeryGraphic - Optima, Inc.
ViewPoint w/Graphics - Compter Aided
Management, Inc.
VTEK - Scientific Endeavors Corp.
VUE - National Information Systems, Inc.
Wescom Engineering Software - Wescom
Software, Inc.
Wescom Surveying Software - Wescom
Software, Inc.
Windows Draw - Micrografx
Words &: Figures - Lifetree Software Inc.
Workview Series - Viewlogic Systems, Inc.
XL/NC IT - PMX, Inc.
XT.CAD Professional - Microdex

VideoS how
Autumn - Zenographics
Microsoft Chart - Microsoft
ChartMaster - Decision Resources
Ego - Zenographics
EnerGraphics - Enertronics
FlexDraw - TNET
Freelance - Lotus
Graphwriter - Lotus
Graphic Decision Support System - Data
Business Vision
Hot Shots - New Vision Technologies
Image Management System - Electronic
Cottage
Impressionist - ExecuComp
Mirage - Zenographics
orgCHART - TNET
PC Presents! - Imedia
PC Slide Showmaker - Management
Graphics
Picturelt - General Parametrics

650

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

PicturePak Eye Openers - Marketing
Graphics
PicturePak Business World - Marketing
Graphics
PicturePak Maps - Marketing Graphics
SignMaster - Decision Resources
Speaker Support Plus - Meta-4
VideoShow - General Parametrics
VIP - Matrices
Visual Express - Visual Media

Appendix C
Glossary
alley The space between columns in a multi-column document.
Ventura refers to this as the gutter.

ascender The part of a lowercase letter that extends above the
body of the letter (as in b or d).
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. It
refers to a type of file that contains only the characters of a
standard computer keyboard.

Assigmnent List The bar on the left side of the screen in Ventura. Used in tag mode for listing available tags, in text mode
for listing text attributes, in table mode for listing table attributes, and in frame mode for listing files contained in a
chapter. In graphics mode the assignment list is replaced by
the graphic tools.

652

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

attribute Variations applied to plain type, such as boldface, underlining, or strikethrough.
AUTOEXEC.BAT A file in the root directory of a PC containing

commands that are automatically executed when the computer is started up.

autoflow A feature of Ventura that causes text loaded into a
chapter to automatically flow from column to column and
from page to page.

autotrace A feature in drawing programs such as Corel Draw
that automatically converts a bitmapped graphic into an object graphic

background printing This feature, provided by print spoolers
and by Microsoft Windows, lets you resume working on a
document while your document prints.

backup button A small black box contained in dialog boxes.
Selecting it moves you one step up in the hierarchy of directories.

baseline The invisible line on which type rests and below which
descenders hang.

batch pagination An approach toward computer typesetting in
which formatting commands are embedded in text and then
executed as the document is printed.

Bezier curve A curve used in drawing programs, defined by
two end points and two intermediate control points.

bitm.ap A representation of a character or a graphic image in
which each printed dot is stored as a digital bit.

bleed A graphic that extends off the edge of the page (also can
be used as a verb).

body text The name of the default style applied to plain text in
a document.

Appendix C Glossary

653

booting To start or restart a computer.
box text A tool available in Graphics mode that allows you to
draw a box on the screen and then type text into that box.
Unlike text contained in frames, box text can be moved
anywhere on the page without disturbing the underlying text
or graphics. It is useful for labelling graphics and for creating
tables.

break A point at which a new line, column, or page begins.
byte A unit of digital information that stores one character.
chapter A document, consisting of text and/or pictures, formatted by means of a style sheet. Also refers to the file that
contains pointers to text, graphic, style sheet, and other files
generated by Ventura.

characters set The set of characters that makes up a font.
Usually it includes the keyboard characters plus a variety of
special symbols. Same as symbol set.

clip art Collections of commercial illustrations, either in hardcopy form or on disk.

clipboard A buffer that stores the most recently deleted
material. There are actually three separate clipboards, the first
for holding the most recently deleted frame, the second for
the most recently deleted picture, and the third for the most
recently deleted text passage.
CONFIG.SYS A file stored in the root directory of a PC hard disk,
containing instructions on system configuration.

controller The software and hardware that directs the functioning of a laser printer.
CPU Central processing unit. The brain of a computer or laser
printer.

crop To cut off an unwanted portion of a picture.

654

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

crop mark A small mark that indicates a corner of the final
document.

current selection box A small box at the lower left corner of
the screen that displays the current file (in Frame mode), tag
(in Tagging mode), and location of text attributes (in Text
mode).

descender The part of a lowercase letter that extends below the
baseline (as in p and q). The size of a font is measured from
ascenders to descenders.

dialog box A box that appears on the screen when you select
an item from a menu, allowing you to enter settings.

dingbats Special characters such as ballot boxes, pointing
hands, scissors, and fancy stars. The Zapf Dingbats font, a
font designed by Hermann Zapf and comprised entirely of
dingbats, is resident in most PostScript printers.

discretionary hyphen A hyphen that is embedded in a text file
and is only displayed if it coincides with a line break. If a
discretionary hyphen is contained in a word, Ventura's
hyphenation algorithm will not perform any additional
hyphenation on that word.

dithering In computer graphics, using dot patterns to simulate
gradations of gray.

download To transfer files from an electronic bulletin board to
the computer, or to transfer font files from the computer into
the memory of a laser printer.

dpi Dots per inch. The standard way of measuring the resolution
of monitors and printers. Resolution of monitors ranges from
about 70 to 115 dpi; resolution of printers ranges from 300
dpi for a standard laser printer to 1200 or 2400 dpi for an
imagesetter.

655

Appendix C: Glossary

driver A software module that translates the output of an application into a format required by a particular printer,
monitor, or other device.

drop cap The first letter of a paragraph, set in a much larger
point size than the rest of the paragraph and set lower than
the initial baseline of the paragraph.

dummy A mockup of publication.
em A unit of measurement equal to the number of points of the
type being set. For example, in 12-point type, the length of
an em is 12 points.
EMS Expanded Memory Specification. A standard for formatting

memory beyond the 640K recognized by DOS.

en A unit of measurement equal to half an em.
EPS Encapsulated PostScript. A file format used by Ventura and

other programs to exchange PostScript graphic files.

expanded memory Memory above the 640K recognized by
DOS, formatted according to the
Specification.

Expanded Memory

extended memory Memory above the 640K recognized by
DOS, but not formatted according to any specification.

extension The three letters to the right of the period in a DOS
file name. Indicates the type of file.

feathering The addition of small amounts of leading to make a
column justify vertically.

nIter A file designation containing the characters * and ? The *
holds the place of any number of characters, while the ?
holds the place of a single character. For example, when
Ventura encounters the filter P?C.*, it will produce the following matching files, among others: PIC.TXT, POC.TXT,
PAC.DOC, PXC.ASC, PIC.GEN.

656

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

flush left or flush right Text that is aligned with the left (or
right) margin.
folio The sequential page numbers appearing at the top or bottom of pages throughout a document.
font The complete set of characters, including punctuation symbols, for a typeface. In traditional typography this meant the
actual metal type. With the advent of computer "fonts" it
refers to files stored on disks or on ROM cartridges.
font editor A program used to create fonts from scratch or to
alter the appearance of an existing font.
font generator A program that creates soft fonts at particular
sizes from master font outlines.
font ID A number used to access a font.
footer A design element repeated at the bottom of each page of
straight text, often incorporating the page number.
frame A container drawn on the page in order to load a text or
graphic file. In addition, Ventura automatically creates an underlying frame for each page.
frame handles The eight small black boxes located at the
corners and on the sides of a frame. By placing the cursor on
one of these and holding down the mouse button while dragging the mouse, you can stretch a frame.
galley A laser-printed or typeset draft of a document.
global Referring to any operation that applies to the entire document.

Greeking The technique of speeding up the display by representing small text on the screen with dummy type or straight
lines.

Appendix C: Glossary

657

grid The design "skeleton" on which a document is built; includes design standards for columns and frames, margins,
leading and tracking, justification, headers and footers, and
graphics.

gutter In traditional typography, the space on the page between
the inside edge of the type and the spine of a bound book.
As used in Ventura's Margins and Columns dialog box, gutter
refers to the alley between two columns of text.
header A design element repeated at the top of each page of
straight text; can include chapter titles, book titles, and/or
page numbers.
icon A small symbol used by a computer program. In Ventura,
icons are used to represent the various program modes and
to represent drawing functions. In Microsoft Windows, icons
represent programs and windows.
images In Ventura, images refer to pictures stored as bits (O's
and l's). Such pictures cannot be enlarged without a reduction in quality.
indent The horizontal offset of the first line (or designated number of lines) of text.
interline spacing The amount of vertical space between lines
of text, measured from baseline to baseline. The default is 1.2
times the point size of the current font.
italic Slanted style of a given typeface, used for emphasis, for
instance to offset book titles from the main text.
item selector The name for a type of dialog box used to load
text, picture, or chapter files.
jaggie Jagged edges on printed type.
justified text A line of type that is precisely spaced so that it
rests flush against both margins of the column.

658

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

kerning Moving two letters doser together to give them a better
fit.

landscape Refers to printing a page so that, when positioned for
reading, the page is wider than it is long.

leader characters Characters (usually periods) used to fill up
the space between tabs. Frequently used in tables of contents.

leading The space, in points, between lines of type and
measured from baseline to baseline. For example, a 10/12
specification for type means 10-point type on 12 points of
leading (6 lines to the inch).

letter spacing Adjusting the space within words to assist line
justification.

line art In traditional graphic arts, line art refers to pictures that
use no shading. In Ventura, line art refers to graphics that are
stored as mathematic descriptions and hence can be scaled
without any reduction in quality.

memory-resident program A program that is loaded into
memory and remains there even when you stop using it and
switch to another program, such as Ventura. A "hot key" reactivates the memory-resident program at any time.

mode One of the four ways of working in Ventura (five in the
Professional Extension), selected by means of the icons in the
upper left corner of the screen. The four modes are Framing,
Tagging, Text Editing, and Graphics. The Professional Extension adds Table Generation.

moire Patterns produced when images are improperly scaled.
object graphics Graphics

that are stored as geometrical
descriptions. Referred to as "line art" in Ventura Publisher.

Appendix C: Glossary

659

obliquing A method of simulating italic type by tilting roman
characters.

orphan The last line of a paragraph appearing by itself at the
top of a column. Traditional page layout calls for avoiding
orphans.

outline font A type of font in which the shape of each character
is stored as a geometrical description rather than as a bitmap.

paragraph In Ventura, paragraph has a special meaning, referring to any block of text ended by a hard carriage return
(pressing Enter).

parallel communications A method of data communications
in which a group of digital bits is transmitted simultaneously.
Faster than serial communications.
PCC The bitmapped graphics file format used by the PC

Paintbrush family of programs and by other paint and screen
capture. Similar to PCX.
PCL Printer Command Language. The set of commands that

direct the operations of LaserJet and LaserJet-compatible
printers, controlling the appearance of text and graphics on
the page.
PCX The bitmapped graphics file format used by the PC

Paintbrush family of programs and by other paint and screen
capture programs. Similar to PCC.
PDL Page description language. A computer language designed

for controlling the appearance of pages on a monitor or
printer.

permanent font A LaserJet soft font that is not erased unless
the LaserJet is turned off.

pica Typographic unit of measurement equal to 12 points or 1/6
inch.

660

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

PICT The object graphics file format used by MacDraw and other
drawing programs.

pixel The smallest unit of a digitized picture, either on the
screen or printed.

point Typographic unit of measurement equal to 1/12 pica or
1/72 inch. The "point size" of a font is measured from the
bottom of the descertders to the top of the ascenders.

portrait Refers to printing a page so that, when positioned for
reading, it is taller than it is wide.

PostScript A computer programming language created by
Adobe Systems specifically for controlling laser printers.

proportional spacing The method of setting type in which
wide letters, such as W, receive more space and thin letters,
such as i, receive less space.

publication A file containing information about a sequential
group of chapter files.

ragged justification Unjustified type, that is, centered or flush
to one side but not to the other.
RAM Dynamic memory in a computer or printer. Information
stored in RAM is lost when the power is turned off.

resident font A font that is permanently stored in the laser
printer.

roman typeface The regular, upright, unslanted version of a
typeface.

rule A line used as a design element on the page.

sans serif A typeface designed without serifs, such as Helvetica.
scaling Enlarging or reducing a picture.

Appendix C' Glossary

661

screen snapshot A printed picture of the contents of the computer display. Also called a screen dump.
selection The term for choosing a menu option, a command, or
an element on the page by moving the cursor on top of it and
then clicking with the mouse.
serifs Small counter strokes that "finish off" the ends of the body
strokes of a letter. In theory, serifs help the eye to recognize
the shapes of different letters, thus aiding readability.
soft font A font stored on a floppy disk or on a PC's hard disk.
spaceband The spacing between words in a passage of text. In
Ventura you can enter a minimum, a maximum, and an optimum setting.
spine The back of a bound book.
style sheet A collection of tags contained in a computer file.
symbol set See" character set."
tag A set of formatting instructions for a type of paragraph. Up to

128 different tags may be stored in a style sheet.

thin space A space the width of a period.
TIFF Tagged Image File Format. A graphics format for storing
scanned images.

toner Fine plastic particles that act as the "ink" for a laser
printer.
tracking The spacing of the letters throughout a passage of text.
Typically loosened or made tighter to accommodate justification or enhance readability, while still maintaining an overall
effect of uniformity.
typeface A particular type design, such as Palatino or Goudy.

662

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

underlying page The frame that Ventura automatically generates for each page in a chapter.

utility A small program designed for a specific, narrowly defined
purpose.

Ventura International The main character set used by Ventura
Publisher. It includes the standard keyboard characters plus a
variety of typographic symbols and accented foreign characters.

vertical justification Adjustment of the line spacing within a
block of text so that it fills a certain vertical distance.
VP US A smaller character set generated by Fontware. It includes
the standard keyboard characters plus the most important
typographic symbols.

widow The first line of a paragraph appearing alone on the bottom of a column, or the last word (or part of a word) in a
paragraph appearing alone at the bottom of a paragraph. In
traditional page layout, widows were avoided.

wildcard Characters such as * and ? which take the place of any
other characters in specifying a DOS file.
WYSIWYG "What You See Is What You Get"; a description of

programs, such as Ventura, in which the picture on the screen
is an accurate representation of the page that is ultimately
printed.

Index
$_ file, 101
/F switch, 483, 526
1-2-3,124, 319, 596
1st Match, 256, 302
386 to the Max, 520, 521, 529,614
3G Graphics, 584
80287 math coprocessor, 491

A
/ A switch, 526
abandoning a file, 495
Abaton scanner 300, 613
ABC Information Systems, 633
ABFTOFNT.EXE, 425
Acorn Plus, 587
active area, 290
ad lib designing, 285
Add New Frame, 313

Add New Tag, 173, 287
Add/Remove Fonts, 407-408, 430, 437
adding new fonts, 411
Adobe Conference on CompuServe, 630
Adobe Font Library, 54
Adobe fonts
compared with Bitstream fonts, 418
Adobe Systems Inc., 54, 373, 377, 418,591592, 600
Adobe Type Library, 591
Adobe Type Manager (ATM), 441-442,592
AdVentura, 614
Agfa Compugraphic fonts, 587
alignment, 302
horizontal, 192
alley, defined, 651
Alphagraphics, 634
Alternative Type & Graphics, 637
Amanuensis, 639
Amdek 1280 monitor, 44, 79
Ampersand Typographers, 641
anchoring a frame, 131, 266-267
cross referencing, 279

664

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

embedded codes, 132
relative anchors, 267
Anchors & Captions, 280
Apple Computer Inc., 50,606
Apple LaserWriter, 44, 54, 56
lack of a parallel port, 56
printing envelopes, 562
Application Techniques, Inc., 619
Aptos Post Typography, 634
Aquidneck Graphics & Publishing Services, 640
Arcadia SGV-VPUG, 624
archiving documents, 112
Aristocad, Inc., 619
arrows, 339
Artline, 308, 599
Arts & Letters, 370, 597
ascender, 398, 651
ASCII character set, 377, 434
defined, 651
lack of typographic symbols, 434
ASCII text files
line endings, 126
preparing for import into Ventura, 126
Aspect Ratio
Distorted, 322
Maintained, 322
Assign Function Keys, 165
assigning function keys
keyboard shortcut, 577
Assignment List, 139, 146, 163, 318, 651
Small, 224
Upper Case, 224
Associated Graphic Services, Ltd., 639
AST Premium 286, 42
AST Turbolaser, 53
sources of fonts, 420
font format, 422
Atech Software, 595
Atlantic Group, 636
AtlasPC, 582
ATM (Adobe Type Manager), 441-442, 592
attaching graphics to text, 268
Attribute Overrides, 148-149
attributes, defined, 652

See also text attributes
Auto-Adjustments, 128
Auto-Numbering, 263
auto-numbering settings
stored in style sheet, 157
AutoCAD, 308, 597
SLD graphics file format, 314
Autodesk, Inc., 597
AUTOEXEC.BAT file, 407, 514, 652
automatic downloading, 405
automatic indexing, 270
automatic kerning, 216, 218, 224
automatic saving with VP Manager, 547
automatic text insertion, 268
autonumbering, 263
AutoSketch, 597
Avant Garde Gothic, 417
Avery labels, 549
Axiom Design Systems, 639

B
backing up chapters, 113, 493
BackLoader, 592
backup button, 107, 488, 652
backup files, 101, 570
controlling the size of, 101
backup up chapters, 496
base page frame, 34
changing the size, 289
crop marks, 289
versus other frames, 35
base-page layout strategy, 282
baseline, defined, 652
batch pagination, defined, 652
beep, 572
beginners
advice on formatting text, 185
big first character, 193
bitmap, defined, 652
bitmap fonts, 398, 399
bitmapped clip art, 366

665

Index

compared with object-oriented clip art, 362
Bitstream FaceLift, 443
Bitstream Fontware, 419-420, 449, 592
Bitstream, Inc., 60, 588, 591-593
BIX,379
black type, 397
blank isolated line, 572
blank page, 302
body text, defined, 652
Boldface Technologies Inc., 641
book design
ancillary sections, 295
Bookman, 417
books
layout strategy, 282, 292
organizing directories, 293
booting, defined 653
box characters, 144
box text, 227, 229, 283, 319, 333
compared with frames, 335
contents stored in CAP file, 150
defined, 653
making global changes in, 150
style sheet, 299
using for forms and tables, 335
using to create reversed type, 205
boxes
embedded codes, 132
hollow, 131, 144
Bransby Productions, 633
breaks, 200, 227, 229, 653
Breaks dialog box, 201
brochures
layout strategy, 282
bubble, 272
buffers, 118
setting in CONFIG.SYS, 427, 478, 521
bullets, 193, 222-223
using floating frames for bullets, 268
Business LaserPrinter Plus, 606
By Scale Factors, 322
byte, defined, 653
Byte Information Exchange, 379

c
COO file, 101
CAD
See computer-aided design

calling up the most recent menu, 577
Canon laser printers, 49, 50
Canon IX-12 scanner, 312
Canon printer engines
intensity control, 51-52, 501
CAP files, 101, 118, 150, 157
importance of backing up before editing,
150
CAPABILI.CHP, 57
CAPABILI.STY, 158
Capitalize versus Upper Case, 146
caption file, 101, 157
captions, 287
globally changing, 150
padding, 337
carding
versus feathering, 206
Carlsbadass Caverns, 665
Casady & Greene, Inc., 587,591
Castle font, 421
catalogs
layout strategy, 282
cell height, 238
Central Indiana VPUG, 626
Central Point Software, 476
Centre Grafik, 639
CG 400-PS, 54, 608
CGA, 388
CGM graphics file format, 314, 363, 370,
597
list of supporting software, 644
CGMpix, 641
chaining text files, 140
changing the order of frames, 302
changing views
keyboard shortcut, 577
chapter, defined 653
chapter file, 37, 96, 118, 157

666

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

chapter information file (CIF), 118, 157
Chapter menu
Auto-Numbering, 263
Chapter Typography, 157, 216
Footnote Settings, 259
Headers & Footers, 287, 294, 302
Insert/Remove Page, 296, 301, 303
Page Size and Layout, 286, 509
Re-Anchor Frames, 267
Renumber Chapter, 265
Vpdate Counters, 263
chapter number
automatically inserting in text, 131
chapter template, 287
chapter typography
stored in style sheet, 157, 216
widows and orphans, 262
chapters
maximum number per publication, 531
character attributes
embedded codes, 132
character counts per pica, 291
character sets, 434
defined, 653
See also Roman-8, ASCII
CHARSET.STY,158
Charter typeface family, 444
Chicago Electronic VPVG, 626
Chicago VPVG, 626
CHKDSK, 515
nmning after crash, 570
CHP file, 37, 96, 118, 157
Church Art Works, 583
CIF file, 118, 157
clearing lines with Esc, 489
ClickArt EPS Illustrations, 363, 583
ClickArt series of image portfolios, 366
clip art
defined, 653
scanning, 88-89
Clipboard, 139
defined, 653
Cliptures, 583
CNF file, 429
Cobb Typesetting, 637

Collage Plus, 615
collating slows output, 501
Colophon, 379
Color Graphics Adapter
See IBM Color Graphics Adapter
ColorScript 100, 606
Columbus VPUG, 630
columns, 192
Break: After, 200
changing the number for one page, 194
column settings
stored in style sheet, 158
width, 291
Column Snap, 294
Comdex, 49
comma
use for decimal tab, 198
COMMAND. COM
memory requirements, 514
Commercial Art Service, 637
commercial symbols, 434
Comp-V-Type, 634, 636-637
Compaq DeskPro, 42
components of the page, 288
compressed type, 397
Compugraphic Corp., 54, 608
CompuServe PostScript fomm, 379
Computer Applications Inc., 616
Computer Graphic Center, 637
Computer Graphics Metafile format
SeeCGM

Computer Publisher, Inc., 633
Computer Service Consultants, 641
Computer Solutions for Publishing, 618
Computer Support Corporation, 597
Computer Typesetting, 634
computer-aided design, 25
Condense, 480
CONFIG.SYS, 521, 528, 530, 514
buffers statement, 427, 478
defined, 653
files statement, 521
setting buffers, 427, 478
Continued On, Continued From, 297
controller, defined, 653

667

Index

conventional memory, 514
converting fonts, 414
converting graphics files, 390
converting text files to different formats
151
'
Copy Text, 139
Copy To Facing Page, 257, 290, 294
Copying text to the Clipboard, 139, 142
copyright page, 295
copyright symbol, 434
keyboard shortcut, 143
Cordata laser printer
font format, 422
sources of fonts, 420
Corel Draw, 308, 597
Cornerstone monitors, 602
Cornerstone Technology, Inc., 602
Courier, 417
example of, 400
CR Express, 639
crashing, 567, 568
post-crash hard-disk cleanup, 569
creating a new tag, 173
keyboard shortcut, 577
Creative Resources, 637
crop marks, 288-289, 502
defined, 653
cropping graphics, 319, 322
Cross Ref, 145
cross references
using to insert page and chapter numbers,
145
cross referencing, 277-279
referencing a variable, 280
with frame anchors, 279
Ctrl-K
shortcut to function key assignments, 166
Ctrl-S, 487
Ctrl-X, 488
current page number
inserting, 145
Current Selection box, 144, 149,654
cursor
hand shape, 322
switching to the text editing cursor, 578

custom EPS graphics, 378
customized fixed spaces, 213
cutting text to the Clipboard, 139, 142

D
Dallas/Association of Desktop Publishers,
629
dash, 127
See also Em dash, En dash
dashed ruling lines, 203
data compression
importance for scanned images, 86
database file importing and formatting
DataTAG, 537, 538
printing labels sheets, 550
using line breaks rather than paragraphs,
532
See also dBASE, dbPublisher
Datacopy 730,312
Dataproducts LZR 1260, 607
DataTAG, 537,615
David G. Dull & Associates, 637
dBASE file importing and tagging, 124, 564
preparing files for Ventura, 551
XVP/Base, 539
dbPublisher, 615
DCA, 122-123
Debug, 427
decimal tabs, 198
decorative typefaces, 397
DEFAULT.STY style sheet, 158, 162,287,
299, 561
Defaults: Save To, 289
deleting
footnotes, 260
index marks, 274
tags, 175
Dell Computer Corporation, 44
demi, 397
Denver Ventura Publishers, 626
descender, 654

668

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

design, 285
books about, 284
Design & Type, Inc., 634
Design Software, 481
Designer, 308, 369
Desk Menu
Publisher Info, 517
DeskJet,610
Desktop Art, 367, 583
Desktop Publishing Centers, 641
Desktop Publishing Solutions, 633
Desktop Technology, 614
Dest Corporation scanners, 311-312, 613
destination, 139
Detroit VPUG, 627
DEVICE = HIMEM.SYS, 528
See also HIMEM.SYS
device drivers
memory requirements, 514
diagnostics box, 517
dialog box, 654
Digi-Fonts, 588
Digit-Art LaserGraphics, 584
Digital Presentation Services, 622
Digital Research Inc., 369, 584, 598-599
dingbats, 132, 136,417,654
See also ITC Zapf Dingbats, 136
directories, 102, 103
disappearing graphics, 318
disappearing mling lines, 205
disappearing screen fonts, 570
disappearing text, 184
discretionary hyphen, 152, 654
embedded code, 131
keyboard shortcut, 143
disk caching, 475, 523
disk caching utilities
conventional memory requirements, 520
Disk Optimizer, 480-481
disk optimizers, 480
Disk OrGanizer (DOG), 480
display typefaces, 397
Displaywrite, 122-123
dithering, 87, 654
Do-It-Yourself Graphic Design, 284

Document Content Architecture, 122-123
document layout strategies, 281
books and manuals, 292
free-form, 297
newsletters, 295
DOS, 102
Copy command, 118
path statement, 102, 103
DOS File Ops, 104
double spaces in text files, 125
double-clicking, 485, 489
Dover Publications, 361
downloading fonts, 405, 480, 654
automatic, 405
DPS1 Controller, 601
draft copies, 409
drawing multiple graphics, 328
drawing tools, 327
Dream Maker Software, 583
driver, defined, 655
DS Optimize, 480-481
DualPage Display System, 602
Dutch, 60, 417
DV Franks cl;ip art, 582
DXF graphics file format
list of supporting software, 645
Dynagraphics, Inc., 639
Dynamic Graphics, 367, 583

E
Eastern Publisher's Exchange, 630
EDCO hyphenation dictionary, 522
EDCO Services, Inc., 618
Edit menu, 31-32
Copy Text, 139
Cut Text, 139
File Type/Rename, 152, 494
Ins Special Item, 259
Insert Special Item, 144-145
Insert/Edit Index Entry, 270
Remove Text/File, 294, 297, 318, 331

669

Index

Edit Table Settings menu, 238, 239
Editing by Design (book), 284
EGA, 388
EGA screen fonts
memory requirements, 525
EGAFSTR.INF, 570
Electric Logic, 636
Electronic Imaging Inc., 637
ellipsis character, 144
Em, defined, 655
Em dash, 127,434
keyboard shortcut, 143
Em space
keyboard shortcut, 143, 211, 488
embedded formatting codes, 125, 129
rules for using, 138
table of, 130-131
EMS memory, 477, 518, 522,655
conflicts with Viking 2 monitor, 75
"EMS Memory in Use," 518
"EMS Memory Swapped Out," 519
En, definted, 655
En dash
keyboard shortcut, 143
En space
keyboard shortcut, 143, 211, 488
Encapsulated PostScript graphics format,
54, 363-364, 371, 390
previewing on screen, 372
format rules, 373
storing scanned images, 85
enlarged master pages, 293
envelopes, 559, 562
multiple, 564
EPS
See Encapsulated PostScript
Epson printer, 44
erasers, 332
ERHANDLR.PS, 373
error messages
Frame Too Complex, 531
European characters, 434
European currencies
use of comma for decimal, 198
Everex AT, 42

expanded memory, 477, 514, 521
compared with extended memory, 522
defined, 655
extended memory, 514, 521, 655
compared with expanded memory, 522
configuring as expanded memory, 530
defined, 655
extending a footnote to a second page, 262
extension, 102, 655
External Memory in Use, 517
Eye-Star, 310

F
/F switch, 526, 570
don't use with the / A switch, 527
F.E.A. Laser Service, 638
FaceLift, 443, 593
FARCODE Overlay Size, 520, 528
feathering, 655
versus carding, 206
figure space, 211
keyboard shortcut, 143
file conversion utilities, 534
file management, 93, 108-109, 111
backing up chapters, 113
limit on number of files per directory, 118
File menu, 31
Abandon, 495
DOS File Ops, 495
Load Diff Style, 177
Load Diff. Style, 162
Load Text/Picture, 138, 153, 177, 295,313
New, 150
Print, 288
Save As New Style, 163, 494
File Type/Rename, 494
"FILES = " statement in CONFIG.syS, 521
Fill Attributes, 300, 490
filled box, 131, 144
filter, 102
defined, 655

670

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Fina Bold, 421
First Match, 256
Fit in Frame, 322
fixed frame versus moveable frame, 207
Fixed On Same Page As Anchor, 267
fixed spaces, 192, 211
customized, 213
using in place of tabs, 198
fizzies, 670
Flash, 476, 520
conventional memory overhead, 523
floating frames, 266
using for bullets, 268
Florida VP, 626
Fluent Laser Fonts, 591
flush left (same as rag right), defined, 656
flyers
layout strategy, 283
font, 656
defined, 397, 656
dialog box, 402, 433
measuring size, 397
font editor, 656
Font Effects, 463, 594
Font Factory Fonts, 588
font files
extensions, 413
keeping track, 497
overcoming size limits, 312
See also fonts
font generator, 656
font ID, 656
Font Selection dialog box, 188
font size limits
overcoming, 312
fontART, 462, 593
FontCenter Fonts, 588
FontGen IV Plus, 593
FontMaker, 593
fonts
building a collection, 413
bUilding a library, 413
changing the default directory, 429
choosing a character set, 431
converting, 414

fonts, (continued)
converting from LaserJet to other formats,
422
downloading, 405
downloading PostScript fonts, 408
downloading prior to printing, 480
example of generating and installing a
font, 430
file extensions, 413
generating a VFM file, 423
ID numbers for LaserJet soft fonts, 406
installing a LaserJet font, 436
installing new fonts, 411, 429
LaserJet, 419
printer fonts vs. screen fonts, 411
resident, defined, 660
resident in PostScript printers, 407, 417
resident in the HP LaserJet II printer, 407,
417
ROM cartridges, 401
selecting in Ventura, 402
size limits, 312
sources, 417
sources for LaserJet, 419
storage requirements, 399, 401
storing on floppy disks, 401
ways of storing, 400-401
FontSpace, 594
Fontware, 419-420, 449, 452
example of generating and installing a
font, 430
installing, 430
installing fonts into Ventura, 432
Typefaces menu, 431
footer, defined, 656
footer frame, 258
footer spacing, 258
footers, 256
relation to active area, 290
tagging, 257
See also headers and footers
footnote, 131, 259
deleting, 260
embedded codes, 132
settings stored in style sheet, 157

671

Index

superscripting a footnote number, 260
form letters, 300
formatting codes
embedded, 138
formatting text, 185-186
on a skewed margin, 194-195
two methods, 35
words within paragraphs, 145
formatting text on a skew, 194-195
forms, 227
fraction, 131
Frame menu, 186, 193, 286
Anchors & Captions, 287
Frame Typography, 216
Margins & Columns, 290-291, 294
Repeating Frame, 563
Ruling Line Above & Below, 204
Sizing & Scaling, 195, 286, 289, 293, 319,
322-323
Vertical Rules, 336
frame text
making global changes in, 150
Frame Too Complex error message, 531
Frame Width, 321
frames
anchoring, 266-267
compared with Box Text, 335
contents stored in CAP file, 150
defined, 656
frame breaks, 202
frame handles, 656
Frame Height, 321
margins around, 192
maximum number of line elements, 531
padding, 195
specifications for, 34
text in, 150
free-form layout strategy, 283, 297
Freedom of Press, 616
Freelance, 363, 596
Fresno VPUG, 625
Front Range VPUG (FRVPUG), 626
frozen screen, 569
function keys
assigning to tags, 165

tagging with, 164

G
G & G Laser Typesetting, 638
Garamond, 437
GCC Technologies, Inc., 606
GEM Artline, 308, 599
GEM Draw and GEM Draw Plus, 369, 598
GEM Draw Business Library, 584
GEM graphics file format, 314
GEM IMG graphics format, 390
storing scanned images, 85
GEM line art format, 369
GEM Paint, 308, 310, 599
GEN extension, 273
GEN files, 37, 101, 118, 151
General Press Corporation, 639
generated file, 101, 151, 295
generated tags, 178
generated text, 273
generating an index, See indexing
generating a table of contents, See table of
contents
Generic CADD, 599
Generic Software, Inc., 599
Genius, 72, 80
Genius Plus Full Page Display System , 602
George Hall Typography, Inc., 636
GlassPage monitor, 602
global specifications, 34, 656
Go to page ...
keyboard shortcut, 577
Golden Bow Systems, 476, 621
GoScript, 616
Goudy
using for wide columns, 292
Gradco Turbo Print, 613
Grafplus, 617
Graphic Connexions, Inc., 639
graphic defaults, 327, 490
graphic design

672

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

books about, 284
The Graphic Designer's Handbook, 284
Graphic menu
Fill Attributes, 327, 332
Grid Settings, 289
Line Attributes, 289, 327, 332
Select All, 283, 328
Show On All Pages, 329
Show On This Page, 329
graphics
attaching to frames, 329
cropping, 319
file formats, 314
loading into Ventura, 313
moving a very small graphic, 332
moving between documents, 333
moving in a group, 332
panning, 319
precise positioning, 331
scaling, 319
sizing and positioning, 35
graphics buffer, 526
decreasing with the / A switch, 527
memory requirements, 517
Graphics Buffer Size, 519
graphics coprocessors, 77
graphics file formats, 314
Graphics Gallery, 370, 584
Graphics Plus, 634
Graphique, 639
Graphwriter, 596
Gray FIX, 599
gray-scaled scanners, 86
greeking, 484, 656
grid, 286, 288, 657
Grid Settings, 336
grid snap
compared with line snap, 336
Grow Inter-Line to Fit, 267
gutter, 192, 291
defined, 657

H
Haas, 54
Halo OPE, 311-312, 600
scanning with, 84
Handy Scanner, 613
hard disk
consolidating files, 480
file management strategies, 108, 109, 111
limit on number of files per directory, 118
hard disk cleanup after crashing, 569
Harmony Press, 639
Harvard Graphics, 363
header, 256, 287
defined, 657
margins, 294
not stored in style sheet, 288
relation to active area, 291
run-in header, 200
tagging, 257
See also Chapter menu, Headers & Footers
header frame, 258
header spacing, 258
headers, 256
headlines
crossing mUltiple columns, 224, 302
Helvetica, 60, 417
example of, 400
Helvetica Narrow, 400, 417
Hercules Graphics Board, 388
Hercules Graphics Card, 44, 46, 67-68, 388
clones, 69
Hewlett-Packard, 50, 591, 604-605610, 614
Hewlett-Packard Graphics Gallery, 370, 584
Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language
See HPGL graphics format
Hewlett-Packard Personal Software
Division, 584
Hewlett-Packard Scan]et, 89
Hewlett-Packard Scanning Gallery, 89
Hewlett-Packard Vectra, 42
hidden text, 131
embedded codes, 132

Index

hiding pictures, 489
High Resolution Image Libraries, 584
HiJaak, 617
HIMEM.SYS, 516, 520-521, 527-528
conventional memory overhead, 528
Hired Hand Design, 585
Hitachi, 77
Hitchcock Publishing Company, 631
Holland Printing, 637
hollow box,
See boxes
horizontal alignment and tabs, 192
horizontal mling lines, 203
Hot Type, 421,592
Hotshot, 514
fixing a scrambled Wyse or Amdek screen,
571
Hotshot Grab, 388, 390, 617
Hotshot Graphics, 388, 617
HP LaserJet Plus
See LaserJet Plus
HP ScanJet
See ScanJet
HP_LJOOO.WID, 432
HPGL graphics format, 314
list of supporting software, 645
HPLJPLUS.CNF, 404, 406-407, 429
HPLJPLUS.WID, 433
HPLTOFNT.EXE, 422
HPLTOVFM.EXE
example of using, 437
HPTOXRX.EXE, 422
HPTOXRXL.EXE, 422
Hunter Publishing Company, 631
hyphenation, 490, 522
increasing loading time, 155
suppressing, 152
Hyphenation Size, 520

I
IBM Color Graphics Adapter, 42, 67-68

673
IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter, 68
IBM Personal Pageprinter, 53-54
IBM PS/2 Model 80, 46
IBM Video Graphics Adapter, 69
SeeVGA
Illustrator, 600
Image Club, 364, 584, 592
Hot Type collection, 421
images, 307, 657
jaggies, 308
Images with Impact, 584
Imagineering, 641
IMG format, 89, 310
saving line art, 88
importing spreadsheets, See spreadsheets
In From Left, 195, 197
In From Right, 195, 197
In\Outdent Height, 196-197
indent, 192
defined, 657
indenting paragraphs
Relative Indent, 200
using paragraph alignment rather than
tabs, 127
Index!,617
index, 131
designing index pages
formatting, 272
formatting secondary entries, 273
moving and deleting index marks, 274
indexing, 270-275
primary entry, 270
secondary entry, 270, 273
spell check before indexing, 275
INF file, 37, 97, 157
deleting after crashing, 97, 570
Inkspot Printing Media Service, 640
Inner Media, Inc., 615
Ins Special Item, 144
Cross Ref, 145
Marker Name, 278
Variable Def, 280
Insert/Edit Table menu, 232
Insert/Remove Page, 296
inserting page and chapter numbers, 277

674

Ventura Tips and Tricks) 3rd Edition

Inset Systems, 617
inside margin, 290
Intel,77
Intel math coprocessors, 491
intercharacter spacing, 213
interline spacing, 192, 208, 657
Internal~emoryin Use, 517
Internal System Error!, 568
International character set, 132-133
Interparagraph Spacing, 209
Irvine VPUG, 625
Isogon, 594
italic type, 397
defined, 657
embedded codes, 132
lTC, 54
ITC Avant Garde Gothic
example of, 400
ITC Bookman, 417
example of, 400
ITC Zapf Chancery, 400, 417
ITC Zapf Dingbats, 132, 136,417,654
example of, 400
item selector, 657

]
Jala Advertising Inc., 639
James River Corporation labels, 549
JetFonts utility, 408
JetScript, 53-54, 612
downloading fonts, 408
Jewell Technologies, Inc., 617
JLaser
font format, 422
sources of fonts, 420
JLaser CR1, 612
jump to beginning of document, 143
jump to end of document, 143
justified text
problems with tabs, 127

K
kerning, 193,214,487
automatic, 216
compared with tracking, 219
controls, 403
defined, 658
manual, 213
on-screen, 487
options, 217
PostScript kerning information, 216
keyboard macro programs, 489
keyboard shortcuts, 487, 577
Korinna
using for wide columns, 292
Krishna Copy Center, 635

L
label sheets, 549
labeling graphics, 334
landscape orientation, 34
defined, 658
large first character, 193
The Laser Edge, 535
Laser Fonts, Version 4, 595
Laser Graphix, 638
laser printer
engine, 49-50
problems printing scanned images, 87
replaceable supplies, 50
selecting paper, 507
toner refills, 504
upgrading, 60
LaserColor, 641
Lasercom, Inc., 637
LaserGo, Inc., 616
LaserJet, 51, 55
clones

Index

memory upgrades, 60
parallel versus serial interface, 482
LaserJet fonts, 405, 419
definition of permanent, 659
downloading, 405
ID numbers, 406
installing, 436
size limits, 312
sources, 419
LaserJet II, 45, 47, 605
amount of storage required for fonts, 402
limits on size of graphics, 338
printing envelopes, 562
printing full-page graphics with
LaserTORQ, 507
resident fonts, 417
LaserJet III Ventura driver, 618
LaserJet liP, 60
LaserJet Plus, 51, 604
amount of storage required for fonts, 401
limits on size of graphics, 338
overcoming type size limit, 312
printing full-page graphics with
LaserTORQ,507
LaserJet Series II
See LaserJet II
LaserJet soft fonts
ID numbers, 406
See also LaserJet fonts
LaserMaster
custom-sized fonts, 402
sources of fonts, 419
LaserMaster 1000, 610
LaserMaster Corp., 601-602, 612
LaserMaster DPSI Controller, 601
LaserMaster GlassPage monitor, 602
LaserMaster LC2, 45, 47, 53, 61
LaserMaster LX-6, 61, 64
LaserTools Corp., 619
LaserTORQ, 338,479,505
See PrintCache, 505
LaserView PLUS Display System, 603
LaserWriter, 51
LaserWriter liNT
printing envelopes, 562

675
LaserWriter liNT and IINTX, 606
Last Match, 256, 302
LBP-CX,51
LBP-SX,51
leader characters, 658
leading, 192, 208, 658
LetrTuck, 618
letter spacing, 214, 220, 225, 658
Lightning, 520
conventional memory overhead, 523
LIM Expanded Memory Specification, 521
line art, 308, 658
advantages over images, 308
Ventura's usage of term versus graphic arts
usage, 88
Line Attributes, 289, 300, 334, 490
Defaults: Save To, 289
Load From, 327
Save To, 327
line break, 552-553
forcing with an embedded code, 131
how to enter in applications programs, 564
keyboard shortcut, 143
using to create tables, 230
line elements, 518
maximum number per frame, 531
overcoming the limits, 532
Line Elements in Use, 518
line endings, 126
line snap, 195, 221, 294
compared with grid snap, 336
lines, See ruling lines
Link, 618
Linotronic 200, Linotronic 300, 44, 47, 54,
88, 609
Linotype Co., 609
Lisat Systems, 640
List of Files, 139
LJ Fonts, 589
Load Different Width Table, 433, 437
Load From, 327
Load Text/Picture, 313
Generated File, 295
loading a chapter directly from DOS, 491
loading text, 121, 138, 154, 155

676

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Logitech ScanMan, 614
logo
example of digitizing, 312
logos
scanning, 88
Logos On-Line, 642
loose lines, 154, 221
Lotus 1-2-3, 124
importing and formatting with Corel
Tabin, 537
importing and formatting with XVP/Tabs,
535
Lotus 1-2-3 Printgraph, 319
Lotus Development Corporation, 596
Lotus Freelance, 363
Lotus graphics
problem with small type, 337
Lotus Manuscript, 122-123
Lotus PIC graphics file format, 314
Lotus-Intel-Microsoft memory specification, 477
Louisville VPUG, 627
LST file, 423
Lynz, 421

M
Mac the Knife, 585
MacTypeNet, 638
Mac-Art Library, 585
MacDraw graphics file format, 314
Mace Utilities, 480-481
Macfactory, 640
Macintosh
early desktop publishing programs, 25
MacPaint, 310
Macro Recorder, 486
MacTography PostScript Type Sampler
Book, 418, 592
Madison VPUG, 629
magazines
layout strategy, 282

MagnaType, 26-28
mail merge, 301
Management Graphics, Inc., 641
manual kerning, 213
manuals
layout strategy, 282, 292
organizing directories, 293
maps, 582
margin settings
stored in style sheet, 158
margins, 191
around frames, 192, 195
inside versus outside, 290
page margins versus header & footer margins, 258
Margins & Columns, 187
Copy to Facing Page, 290, 294
gutter, 291
marker characters, 221
Marker Name, 279
Marketing Graphics Incorporated, 586
math coprocessor, 491
Matrix CommunicationS, 635
Maximum Space Width, 211, 214
measurement out of range, 226
measurement units
changing in dialog boxes, 186
measuring indents, 193
measuring offsets, 193
measuring tabs, 193 ..
Media Cybernetics, Inc., 600
Mel's Typesetting, 635
memory
how Ventura uses, 517
limitations and solutions, 513
memory-resident program, 658
memory-resident programs, 514
Mentor Graphics file format, 314
Mergenthaler, 54
merging width tables, 438
Metro ImageBase clip art, 368, 585
Mickey, 548
Micro Display Systems, Inc., 602
Micrograftx Designer, 308, 369
Micrografx, Inc., 583, 598

677

Index

MicroLaser, 605
MicroLogic MoreFonts, 445, 455,595
MicroMaps, 582
Micropage, 639
Microsoft Windows, 521, 528
Microsoft Word, 46, 121
entering a line break, 564
searching for paragraph breaks, 554
tagging with F3 key, 170
Microtek scanner, 47, 310
Miles Computing, 585
Milwaukee VPUG, 629
Minimum Space Width, 211, 214
mirror-image pages, 510
mode, 658
Moniterm Corporation, 604
monitors, 72
aspect ratio, 73
compatibility with mouse, 77
computer compatibility, 76
contrast adjustment, 75
edge effects, 76
flicker, 74
graphics coprocessors, 77
heat and power requirements, 74
installation, 75
measuring, 72
orientation, 76
primary versus secondary display, 75
short cables, 75
size of display, 73
software compatibility, 74
Monochrome Display Adapter, 68
Moonlight ArtWorks, 585
MoreFonts, 445, 455, 595
mouse, 575
compatibility with monitors, 77
using the right button with MouseWare,
548
MouseWare, 548, 618
move to next page, 143
move to previous page, 143
moving a footnote to a new page, 262
moving a frame
keyboard shortcut, 578

moving a graphic, 328
moving a graphic between documents, 333
moving a very small graphic, 332
moving and deleting index marks, 274
moving large blocks of text, 573
moving text files to a different directory,
152
Multi-Ad Services, 585
Multi-Chapter, 113, 272, 295, 496
generating an index, 270, 272
Make TOC, 276
transferring documents, 112
MultiMate, 46, 121
multiple text files, 154
Multisoft Corporation, 476, 619

N
naming tags, 174
National Association of Desktop Publishers, 624
National Independent PostScript Support
Board, 379
NEC Home Electronics, 603
NEC Monograph System, 603
network control software
memory requirements, 514
Network Technology Corp., 584
New Century Schoolbook, 414-417
example of, 400
New Riders Publishing, 161, 632
newsletters, 295
layout strategy, 282, 295
newspaper-style layout strategy, 282
Next Y Position, 200
nonbreaking space
keyboard shortcut, 143
nonkeyboard characters
embedded codes, 132
normal space Width, 214
Northwest VPUG (NWVPUG), 629
The Norton Utilities, 480, 481

678

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

NW Printcrafters, 638
NYXVP Users Group, 628

o
object graphics, 658
object-oriented clip art
compared with bitmapped clip art 362
obliquing, 659
'
Office Writer, 122-123
offsets, 192, 195
OmniLaser, 54, 607
on-screen kerning, 487
optical scanners, 83
Options menu, 31-32
Add/Remove Fonts, 407-408, 430, 437
Column Snap, 294
Hide Pictures, 489, 507
Line Snap, 221, 294
Multi-Chapter, 113, 272, 295, 496
Set Preferences, 128, 178, 257, 286, 487
Set Printer Info, 409, 429, 433
Set Ruler, 286
Show Column Guides, 197,296
Show Loose Lines, 211
Show Tabs & Returns, 221
Turn Column Snap Off, 296
Turn Line Snap On, 296, 336
orphan, defined, 659
orphan settings
stored in style sheet, 157
outline fonts
defined, 659
resolution independent, 398
versus bitmap fonts, 398
Over-All Width: Frame-Wide, 299, 302
overflow files, 523
overlapping pictures, 337
overscore, 149
formatting with embedded codes 132
oversized pages, 293
'
printing on a standard printer, 509

p
PacificPage cartridge, 612
padding, 195, 322
around pictures, 331
around captions, 337
page breaks, 140,200,202
using with tables, 239
page description languages, 53
page layout
stored in style sheet, 157
Page Manager-lOO, 603
page margins, 191
Page menu
Headers & Footers, 256
page number
automatically placing in text, 131
inserting on page, 145
relation to active area, 291
page size
stored in style sheet, 157
PageMaker, 26-28
pagination, 255
automatic text insertion, 268
cross referencing with frame anchors, 279
generating table of contents, 276
indexing, 270-275
widows and orphans, 262
Paintbmsh font, 421
Palatino,414-417
example of, 400
panning graphics, 319
paper
selecting for laser printers, 507
paper size, 286
PARAFILTR ON, 126
paragraph, 659
defined, 518
maximum size, 531
Paragraph Alignment dialog box, 189
Paragraph menu
Alignment, 302
Attribute Overrides, 148-149

Index

Font, 402, 433
Grow Inter-Line to Fit, 145, 267
Paragraph Typography, 154, 216, 219
Spacing, 190, 192
Special Effects, 223
Typographic Controls, 206, 220
Update Tag List, 151, 165, 175, 177
Paragraph Typography, 206, 220
Grow Inter-Line To Fit, 145
Minimum Space Width, 211
Paragraphs in Use, 518
parallel communications, defined, 659
parallel interface, 482
faster than serial for laser printers 60, 338
path, 102, 103
Patrick Graphics, 640
pause button, 569
PC Paintbmsh, 308, 310, 366
touching up scanned images, 88
PC Paintbmsh IV Plus, 600
scanning with, 84
PC Picture Publisher, 28
PC Publisher Kit, 613
PC Publishers of Northern California, 625
PC Publishing magazine, 631
PC Scan Plus scanner, 311-312
PC Tools, 476, 520
disk cache, 523
PC's Limited 386 computer, 42
PCL, 53, 55
defined, 659
See also LaserJet
PCX graphics format, 310, 312, 363, 390
saving line art, 88
storing scanned images, 84
Peachpit Press
digitizing logo, 312
Perm Strings Size, 520
permanent font, defined, 659
PERMVP.PS, 377, 492
Personal Pageprinter, 53-54
Personal Publishing magazine, 631
Personal Publishing Service Bureau, 635
Perspective, 601
photographs

679
loading into Ventura, 88
phototypesetting, 52
PIC graphics file format, 310, 314
pica, defined, 659
PICT graphics file format, 314
picture scaling
By Scale Factors, 322
Fit in Frame, 322
Pinnacle Type, 635
. Pipeline Associates, 379
Pittsburgh Ventura Users Group, 629
pixel, defined, 660
Pizazz Plus, 619
point, 397
defined, 660
portrait orientation, 34
defined, 660
POSTSCPT.CNF, 429
POSTSCPT.WID, 430
PostScript, 45, 53-54, 60, 660
clip art, 363
custom-size fonts, 402
downloading fonts, 408
EPS format, 371
fonts, 216, 417
printers, 399
sluggishness of, 57
use of font cache, 398
See also PostScript printers
PostScript fonts, 417
kerning information in, 216
PostScript Language Journal, 379
PostScript Language Reference Manual, 377
PostScript Language Tutorial and Cookbook, 377
PostScript printers, 399
converting to a standard DOS printer, 545
eliminating the startup test page, 504
mirror-image pages, 510
parallel vs. serial interface, 482
pre-loading the prologue, 492
resident fonts, 417
speeding up with PrintCache, 505
speeding up by downloading the
prologue, 508

680

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

PostScript typesetters
printing grayscaled images, 88
Powell, Mark, 378
PowerPak, 446, 595
pre-loading the PostScript prologue, 492
pre-tagging, 489
with Microsoft Word, 170
preface page design, 295
primary index entry, 270
print files, 503
printspooling,479,505
PrintCache, 479, 505,619
Printer Capabilities Page, 57
Printer Command language (PCl), 53, 55
defined, 659
printer intensity control, 500
printer width table
stored in style sheet, 158
PrintGraph, 319
printing
crop marks, 502
draft versus ultimate printouts, 409
envelopes, 559, 562
label sheets, 549
mirror-image pages, 510
printing a style sheet, 151, 177
registration marks, 502
speeding up by hiding pictures, 489
speeding up with a print spooler, 505
waiting for the prompt, 508
Printware 720 IQ printer, 609
ProArt Professional Art library, 585
problems
applying text attributes, 572
arrows pointing in the wrong direction,
339
can't see a graphic after loading it, 337
disappearing nding lines, 205
drawing arrows, 339
graphiCS not appearing on the screen, 318
moving a very small graphic, 332
PostScript printing too slow, 338
selecting a graphic, 329
text disappearing from a frame, 184
text losing attributes, 274

text takes too long to load, 155
text won't load onto blank page, 153
unwanted blank line, 572
Professional Extension
table mode, 233
Professional Publications, 638
profiles
Arts & letters clip art, 370
ClickArt EPS Illustrations, 363
ClickArt Series of Image Portfolios, 366
Corel Styler, 544
Corel Tabin, 537
DataTAG, 537
Desktop Art, 367
DPS-1 Graphics Card, 81
Frieze, 387
GEM Draw clipart, 369
Hewlett-Packard Graphics Gallery, 370
HotShot Graphics, 388
Image Club clip art, 364
laserTORQ, See PrintCache
Metro Image Base, 368
Mickey, See MouseWare
Micrografx Designer clip art, 369
MouseWare, 548
PrintCache, 505
Pub· Star, 171
Publisher's PicturePak, 362
Publisher's PowerPak, 508
ScanJet, 89
Soft Kicker, 69
TAGteam, 541
VP Manager, 545
VP/Saddle, 542
VPToolbox, 179
WP2VP, 539
XVP/Base, 539
XVP/Tabs, 535
Progressive Designs, Inc., 636
proofing on a laser before typesetting, 500
proportional spacing, 660
PS Jet and PS Jet Plus, 612
PS Portfolio, 586
PS2.PRE, 372, 492
saving space in print files by deleting, 377

681

Index

PSDOWN.EXE, 408
PSFONTS directory, 429
PUB file, 100
Pub*Star, 171, 619
publication, 660
maximum number of chapters, 531
saving after generating table of contents,
277
publication file, 100
Publish magazine, 631
Publish Pac scanning software, 311-312
Publisher Info, 517
Publisher's Paintbrush
scanning with, 84
Publisher's PicturePak clip art, 362, 586
Publisher's PowerPak, 446,508,595,619
Publisher's Shareware, 621
Publisher's Type Foundry, 458, 595
Publishers Paintbrush, 311-312
publishing
as a modular effort, 36
Publishing Solutions, 615

Q
QMS, Inc., 50, 606-607
JetScript controller, 53-54
KISS printer, 51
PS 810 printer, 46, 54, 61, 562, 607
PS 2200 printer, 607
PSJet, 54
QuadLaser PS, 607
Qualitas, Inc., 614
QuarterDeck Software, 477
Qume Corporation, 605, 608
Qume CrystalPrint Series II printer, 605
quotation marks, 128,434
keyboard shortcut, 143

R
Radius monitor, 603
ragged bottom, 290
ragged justification, 660
RAM disk, 482, 523
raster image processor (RIP), 53
ReadySetGo!,26-28
Real World PostScript, 379
redraWing the screen, 570
registered trademark symbol
keyboard shortcut, 143
registration marks, 502
relative anchors, 267
See also anchoring a frame
Relative Indent, 200
Remove Text/File, 294, 297, 318, 331
removing a picture from the frame, 318
removing tag names from text files, 169
removing tags from WordPerfect files, 540
renaming a style sheet, 494
renaming text files, 494
Renumber Chapter, 263, 265
Renumbering with Ctrl-B, 265
Repeating Frame, 563
resident font, 407
defined, 660
reversed type, 205
Ricoh, 50
RIP, 53
roman type, 397, 660
Roman-8 character set, 435
lack of typographic quotation marks, 128
symbols missing, 435
Roth, Stephen, 379
Royal Graphics, 634
rule, 660
Ruling Box Around, 204
Ruling Line Above, 204
Ruling Line Below, 204
ruling lines, 193, 203
run-in header, 200

682

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

s
saddle-stitch format, 542
safety tips, 494
Samna Word, 122-123
SAMPLE 1. STY, 162
San Bernardino VPUG, 625
San Diego VPUG, 625
San Mateo VPUG, 625
sans serif typefaces, 397
defined, 660
Santa Barbara VPUG, 625
Save To, 289, 327
saving, 494
saving a chapter
keyboard shortcut, 577
saving before printing, 508
scaling, defined, 660
scaling graphics, 319
Scan]et, 89, 312, 614
ScanMan, 312,614
scanners
limitations for scanning gray shades, 310
Scanning Gallery, 89
scanning software, 84
ScenicWriter, 26-28
Schoolbook typeface
using for wide columns, 292
SCOOP.CHP,56
SCOOP. STY, 162
screen font buffer, 483
screen fonts, 73, 424, 426-427
buffer, 521, 525-527
creating screen font ensembles, 425
disappearing, 570
maximum number, 425
one extension at a time, 428
Ventura's generic screen fonts, 427
VGA versus EGA, 482
when to install and when not to install, 424
screen fonts buffer, 521, 525
affected by the /A switch, 527
changing with the /F switch, 526

memory requirements, 517
Screen Fonts Size, 520
screens, See monitors
screen snapshot, 661
Hotshot Graphics, 388
ScripTEN printer> 608
Seattle Imagesetting, Inc., 640
secondary index entry, 270, 273
section division, 295
selecting by double-clicking, 489
selecting graphics, 328
selecting multiple graphics, 328
selection, 661
selection button
keyboard shortcut, 577
serif typeface, 397
defined, 661
service bureaus, 633
Set Font, 35, 146-147, 164, 215,402-403
Set Font dialog box
kerning, 403
Shift up/down, 403
Set Preferences, 128, 178, 257, 286, 487
Set Printer Info, 409, 429, 433
Set Ruler, 286
setting text on askew, 195
Seybold Report on Desktop Publishing,
631
shaded ruling lines, 203
ShapeScan, 312
shift controls, 403
Shift key, 490
shortcuts, 487, 577
Shift-Arrow, 404-405
Show Column Guides, 197, 296
Show Loose Lines, 211
Show Tabs & Returns, 221
Sidekick, 124, 514
Sigma Designs monitors, 603
simulating tabs in justified text, 202
Sizing & Scaling, 195
Upper Left X and Y, 289, 293
SLD graphics file format, 314
SLEd, 601
Small Caps, 224

Index

setting point size with Attribute Overrides,
149
SNA, Inc., 622
Sofa Bold, 421
soft font, 401, 661
ID numbers, 406
SoftCraft, 419, 590, 594-596
SoftCraft Font Editor, 595
SoftCraft Fontware Program, 452, 595
SoftCraft Typefoundry Series fonts, 590
SoftKicker, 619
Softlogic Solutions, 480-481
SoftType, 456
Software Complement, 642
Software Masters, 476
Southern California VPUG (SCVPUG), 625
Space Between Rows, 238
space width
compared with tracking, 225
normal, 214
spaceband control, 192, 661
spacing
between letters, 193, 213
between lines, 192, 208
between paragraphs, 192, 208-210
between words, 192
fixed, 192
measured from baseline to baseline, 208
Minimum Space Width, 211
Spacing dialog box, 208-209
special effects, 222, 223
special features, 193
Spectmm Arts Ltd., 638
Speed Disk, 480
speed tips, 475
speeding up printing by downloading
prologue, 508
speeding up printing by hiding graphics,
507
speeding up Ventura
hiding pictures, 325
spell checking before indexing, 275
spill files, 482
spine, 661
Spinfont, 596

683
spreadsheets
importing and formatting with Corel
Tabin, 537
importing and formatting with XVP/Tabs,
535
preparing for import into Ventura, 126
Springboard Software, 587
Stempel, 54
Stephen & Associates Clip Art, 586
stretching a frame
keyboard shortcut, 578
stretching a graphic, 328
strikethrough
embedded codes, 132
Studio Advertising Art, 586
STY file, 97, 157
elements stored in, 157
style sheet, 33, 157, 632, 661
copy tags from one style sheet to another,
181
deleting tags, 182
elements stored in, 157
headers and footers not included, 288
limited to 128 tags, 177
loading, 162
managing with VP Manager, 545
maximum number of tags, 531
missing elements, 292
printing contents of, 151, 177
printing the contents of, 151
renaming, 494
restoring sample style sheets, 163
third party, 161-162
style sheet file, 97
style sheet management
VP Manager, 545
STYLOG.STY style sheet, 151, 162
subdirectory, 104
subscripts
adjusting the size and vertical offset, 148
Sundial, 619
Super PC-Kwik, 476, 520, 619
conventional memory overhead, 523
SuperKey, 166, 489
SuperPrint, 447, 596

684

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

superscripting a footnote number, 260
superscripts
adjusting the size and vertical offset, 148
swapping out, 519
SWFTE fonts, 589
Swiss typeface, 60, 417
SX-1000 Scanning System, 614
Symbol font, 132,417,435
character set, 134
example of, 400
symbol set, defined, 661
Symphony, 596
Symphony PIC graphics file format, 314
Symsoft, 617
synthetic halftone, 87
SYS extension, 514

T
T/Maker Co., 363, 583
Tab Settings dialog box, 199
table of contents, 276, 295
tables, 227, 233
adding titles, 236
changing cell size, 233
controlling cell height, 238
formatting with line breaks, 230
joining cells, 236
selecting vertical lines, 237
tabs, 197, 227
measured from the edge of the current
column, 227
no line wrapping, 197
problems in justified text, 127
Simulating in justified text, 202
tag, 661
Tagged Image File Format
See TIFF
tagging, 163
multiple paragraphs, 164
with a word processor, 166
with the function keys, 164

tagging mode
keyboard shortcut, 577
tags
applying to paragraphs, 163
automatically generated, 288
avoiding all caps in tag names, 175
copying to another style sheet, 181
deleting, 175
deleting with VPToolbox, 182
generated, 178
in headers and footers, 257
information stored in, 158
limit of 128 per style sheet, 177, 531
naming, 174
organizing tag names in the Assigment
List, 175
removing from WordPerfect files, 540
shown in uppercase letters, 183
TAGteam, 541,620
Tall Tree Systems, 612
TechArt, 635
technical manuals
layout strategy, 282
Teletypesetting, 638
template, 287
terminate and stay resident, 514
TeX, 26-28
Texas Instruments, 77
Texas Instruments MicroLaser, 605
Texas Instruments OmniLaser, 54
text attributes
rules for embedded codes, 138
that carry over into Ventura, 125
that Ventura ignores, 125
Text Clipboard, 139
text editing, 128, 142, 149
keyboard shortcuts, 143
text files
loading into Ventura, 121
loading multiple, 154
text formatting, 185
embedded codes, 129
within cells of a table, 238
within paragraphs, 145
Text Memory in Use, 518

Index

Text Memory Swapped Out, 519
Text mode, 32
text typefaces, 397
The 'Puter Group, 621
The DeskTop, 616
The Font Factory, 588, 593
The Golem Press, 614
The Graphics Link Plus, 617
The Laser Connection, Inc., 612
The Lazer's Edge, Inc., 640
thin space, 211, 212
defined, 661
keyboard shortcut, 143
third-party style sheets, 162
Three D Software Inc., 601
TI, See Texas Instmments
TIFF graphics format, 89, 372, 390
See also Tagged Image File Format
storing scanned images, 85
Tiffany Plus, 384, 620
tiling, 509
Times Roman, 60, 414-417
example of, 400
tips
Adding margins around a table, 239
Adjusting buffers for screen fonts, 427, 477
Adjusting interline spacing for fractions,
145
Always spell check before indexing, not
after, 275
An easy way to figure out embedded
codes, 138
Attaching graphics to text, 268
Avoid double spaces., 125
Carding versus feathering, 206
Chaining text files together, 140
Changing generated tags, 178
Changing measurement units in dialog
boxes, 186
Changing screen font extensions, 428
Changing the number of columns for just
one page, 194
Changing the size of the bullet, 223
Choosing grid settings, 300
Column-wide underlining, 149

685
tips (continued)
Conflicts between HIMEM and other
programs, 529
Controlling the height of a cell, 238
Controlling the position of text in a cell,
238
Controlling the size of print files, 101
Convert one font before converting a
batch, 422
Converting text files among word processing formats, 151
Create a master caption, 326
Create screen font ensembles, 425
Creating reversed type with mling line
above, 205
Creating your own caption tags, 326
Crop marks and the base page, 289
Customized fixed spaces, 213
De-selecting graphics one at a time, 329
Decimal tab characters, 198
Deleting a footnote, 260
Directory limits, 118
disappearing mles, 205
Don't enter text in the captions dialog
box,325
Don't index text with special attributes, 274
Don't use all caps in tag names, 175
Drawing multiple boxes, 300
Drawing multiple graphics, 328
Entering text in a frame, 152
Exceeding the tag limit, 177
Extending a footnote to a second page, 262
Filling in for missing screen fonts, 427
Finding the tme dimensions of an image,
325
Fixed frame versus movable frame, 207
Font support for automatic kerning, 216
Form letters, 300
Formatting secondary index entries, 273
Frame breaks, 202
Frames in margins, 267
Headers and footers not stored in style
sheet, 288
Hercules clones, 69
How much LaserJet memory?, 60

686

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

tips (continued)
How to build a personal mailing list, 564
Identifying tags in the word processor, 167
The importance of intensity control, 52
Importing CAD drawings, 316
Installing unsupported monitors, 75
Installing Ventura for 16-color VGA, 515
Judge fonts at 300 dpi, 418
Keeping your original style sheets intact,
163
Line snap, 221
Loading text from WordPerfect, 140
Loading troubles chapters by deleting
VP.INF,98
Loose lines, 221
Lotus 1-2-3 graphics, 319
Makeshift quotation marks, 128
Making a do-it-yourself eraser, 332
Making a table start on a new page, 239
Making global changes in captions & box
text, 150
Making mistakes with picas and points,
191
Making room around graphics, 331
Marker characters, 221
measuring large-screen monitors, 72
Measuring tabs, indents, and offsets, 193
Minimizing the size of database output, 532
The missing I/O slot, 61
Moving a footnote to a new page, 262
Moving a small graphic, 332
Moving and deleting index marks, 274
Moving graphics between documents, 333
Moving text files from one directory to
another, 152
No halfway justification, 207
One screen font extension at a time, 428
Optimizing your disk cache and your
spooler, 479
Overcoming line element limits, 532
Page margins and header/footer margins,
258
Place the most frequently used tags on
top, 175
Placing and removing graphics, 318

tips (continued)
Portrait versus landscape monitors, 76
Precise positioning of graphics, 331
Problems using Hotshot with Hercules
clones, 390
A quick way to delete a row, 239
QUicker exits with Ctrl-X, 488
Recognizing font file extensions, 413
Recovering large screen fonts, 98
Renaming backup files, 101
Renumbering with Ctrl-B, 265
Reusing a layout, 297
Reversed type with box text, 205
Rotating EPS pictures, 376
Rules about embedded codes, 138
Save publication after amending TOC
defaults, 277
Save storage by deleting duplicate PCX
files, 315
Saving and applying line and fill attributes,
300
Saving formatting information, 151
Saving multiple default configurations, 99
Scaling object versus bitmapped graphics,
324
Scanning hard-copy clip art, 89
Selecting envelopes for laser printing, 566
Selecting vertical lines in tables, 237
Setting text on a skew, 195
Shortcut to the function key assignment
list, 166
Speed up Ventura by hiding pictures, 325
Superscripting a footnote number, 260
Suppressing hyphenation, 152
Tagging multiple paragraphs, 164
Testing a LaserJet clone, 56
The ellipsis character, 144
The maximum number and size of screen
fonts, 425
Torqing LaserTORQ, 479
Treat the caption frame like a separate
frame, 326
Trouble selecting graphics, 329
Understanding the Sizing & Scaling Dialog
Box, 319

Index

tips (continued)
The Unprintable zone, 194
Use the hand, not the crop offset commands, 323
Using a picture for a bullet, 223
Using a scanned graphic for large type, 312
Using a tracing template, 331
Using Ctrl-Enter for new lines, 209
Using fixed spaces instead of tabs, 198
Using floating frames for bullets, 268
Using "small caps" for big letters, 149
Using the comma for a decimal tab, 198
Ventura's default style sheet, 162, 287
Ventura's generic screen fonts, 426
Vertical dashed lines, 205
Vertical justification without the Professional Extension, 207
What to look for in a scanning program, 86
What's the best disk-caching utility?, 478
When to use DOS Copy instead of MultiChapter, 118
When to use tracking, 220
Where to enter settings for vertical justif.,
206
The Where is utility, 117
Work through the menus from left to right,
186
Working with groups of graphics, 332
X-height versus point size, 397
You may already have a disk-cache and
not know it, 478
toner, 661
toner intensity control, 51
toner refills, 504
Touch-Up, 601
tracing template, 331
tracking, 193, 208, 214, 219, 661
compared with kerning, 219
compared with space width, 225
interactive adjustment, 219
trademark symbol, 434
keyboard shortcut, 143 \
training videos, 633
transferring documents, 112
trim size, 288

687
troubleshooting
avoid index marks in text with attributes,
274
cursor won't move, 571
Delete key won't work, 571
difficulty changing text attributes, 572
disappearing screen fonts, 570
frozen screen, 569
isolated blank line, 572
program crash, 567
scrambled Wyse or Amdek screen, 571
words losing their formatting, 571
Tnmk Line, 635
Tulsa VPUG, 628
Turbolaser, 53
See AST TurboLaser
TurboPrint, 613
Turn Column Snap On/Off, 296
Turn Line Snap On/Off, 296, 336
Twin Cities VPUG, 627
two-up format, 543
type
elements of, 396
Type & Design, 640
Type Case, Inc., 640
Type Director, 419, 596
Type Foundry
Publisher's Type Foundry, 458
type size limits
overcoming, 312
Type Studio, 621
typeface, 397
defined, 661
variations on, 397
typeface family, 397
typeface identification number, 437
typefaces
suitable for wide columns, 292
\ TYPESET directory, 108, 158
Typesetter's Connection, 621
typewriter line spacing for forms, 300
typographic controls
inventory, 191
typographic symbols, 434

688

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

u
Underground Grammarian clip art, 586
underline, 149
embedded codes, 132
underlying page, 662
margins, 191
unprintable zone, 194
Update Counter, 263
Update Tag List, 151, 165, 175, 177
Upper Case versus Capitalize, 146
Upper Left X, 289, 321
Upper Left Y, 289, 321
USENGLS2 hyphenation algorithm, 491
USENGLSH hyphenation algorithm, 491
user groups, 629, 632
using floating frames for bullets, 268
utilities, 533
DataTAG, 538
utility, program
defined,662
See also individual utilities listed by name

v
Vancouver Electronic Publishing, 630
variable cross referencing, 280
Variable Name, 280
Varityper, 609
Vcache, 476, 520, 621
conventional memory overhead, 523
VDISK, 482
Ventura addiction
where to find help, 533
\ VENTURA directory, 108
Ventura Graphics File (VGR), 101, 118
VenUlra Information File (INF), 157
Ventura International character set, 434
defined, 662

Ventura Professional magazine, 632
Ventura Publisher
addiction treatment, 533
archiving and transferring documents, 112
as a hub for other programs, 95
backing up documents, 113
capabilities of, 24
categories of operations, 31
crashing the program, 567
customizing the interface, 32
customizing the menus, 573
file management strategies, 102, 109
four modes, 30
internal drawing tools, 327
internal graphics, 35
International character set, 132
limits on size of text files, 531
loading text, 121
maximum number of chapters per publication, 531
maximum number of line elements per
frame, 531
maximum number of tags per style sheet,
531
maximum size of a paragraph, 531
minimum hardware requirements, 41
modes, 30
open system approach, 37
performance on an XT-class computer, 43
precursors, 25
price range for hardware, 44
scenario, 28
special formatting features, 193
speed tests, 43
style sheets, 33
text editing, 128, 142, 143
using with a eGA monitor, 68
using without a mouse, 575
Ventura Publisher third-party support
See Profiles
Ventura Publisher Users Group (VPUG),
632
Ventura Users of Atlanta, 626
Vermont Microsystems monitors, 603
Vert. Just. Around Frame, 207

689

Index

vertical alignment, 206
Vertical Alignment: Middle, 200
vertical dashed lines, 205, 336
vertical justification, 290, 662
Vertical Justification Within Frame, 206
without the Prof. Ext., 207
Vertical Padding, 322
vertical mling lines, 203
difficulty selecting in tables, 237
vertical spacing
measured from baseline to baseline, 208
VFM file, 423
VFMTOWID.EXE, 414
VGA, 388
VGA screen fonts
memory requirements, 525
VGAFSTR.INF, 570
VGR file, 101, 118
video scanners, 83
videos, 633
VideoShow graphics format, 314
list of supporting software, 649
VideoTutor training videos, 633
"VIDMEM = "statement, 530
View menu, 32
Viking monitors, 2,43,47,76,604
conflict with EMS memory, 75
Vistex, 587
Vivid Impressions, 587
VN Labs, 590
Volkswriter 3, 122-123
Vopt, 621
VP Manager, 545,622
compared with VPToolbox, 548
VP to the Max, 622
VP US character set, 662
VP Utility Pak I, 622
VP.APP
memory requirements, 517
VP.BAT, 407, 526
\ F switch, 570
modifying for 386-to-the-Max, 530
VP.INF file, 97, 426, 568
deleting, 97
VP.RSC and VP.RS1 files, 573

VP/Base
See XVPIBase
VP/Saddle, 542-543,623
VP/Tabs
See XVP ITabs
VP2WP, 140
Vpcopy, 496
VPMover, 622
VPPROF.APP
memory requirements, 517
VPPROF.BAT, 407, 526
modifying for 386-to-the-Max, 530
VPToolbox, 119, 181,496,622
compared with VP Manager, 548
deleting tags, 182
VPUG Australia, 630
VPUG Central, 624
VPUG Houston (VPUGH), 629
VPUG of Long Island, 628
VPUG of Tampa, 626
VS Library of Fonts, 590
VS Software, 419, 590, 593, 601
VT600 printer, 609
VTune, 622

w
Weaver Graphics, 589
WHEREIS.COM utility, 117
Whyglyps, G.c., 689
white on black, 205
WID file, 414, 416
widow, 662
widow settings
stored in style sheet, 157
widows and orphans, 262
width table, 216, 412-413, 496
generating, 414
merging, 438
Width Table Size, 519
wildcard, 662
Will-Harris Designer Disks, 161, 632

690

Ventura Tips and Tricks, 3rd Edition

Window DOS, 497
Windows, 521, 528
Windows metafile graphics format, 372
Windows Macro Recorder, 486
WINGRAB, 390
WKS files
importing directly with XVP/Tabs, 535
Word
how to enter a line break, 564
word processor file formats, 121
WordPerfect, 28, 46, 121
how to enter a line break, 564
loading text into Ventura, 140
searching for paragraph breaks, 554
WordPerfect 4.2, 121
WordPerfect 5.0, 121
WordPerfect file conversion
TAGTeam, 541
WordPerfect files
importing with WP2VP, 539
WordScapes, 378
WordStar, 46, 121
WordStar 2000, 122-123
WordStar UK, 121
Wordwrap, 638
worksheets
importing and converting with Corel
Tabin, 537
importing and formatting with XVP/Tabs,
535
WP2VP, 140, 539, 623
write-black printing technology, 50
write-white printing technology, 50
Wyse WY-700 monitor, 45, 46, 73, 388, 604
using with 386-to-the-Max, 530
WYSlfonts!, 415, 468, 596
WYSIWYG, 25
defined, 662

x
X Crop Offset, 322-323, 337

Xerox 4020 Color Inkjet printer, 610
Xerox 4045 laser printer, 610
font format, 422
sources of fonts, 420
Xerox Corporation, 610
Xerox Ventura Publisher, See Ventura Publisher
Xerox Writer III, 121
XIP, 623
Xitron, Inc., 623
Xpress Graphics, 637
XTREE, 497
XVP/Base, 539, 623
XVP/Tabs, 535, 623
XyWrite, 377

y
Y Crop Offset, 322-323, 337

z
Z_BOXTEXT, 298, 334
Z_DOUBLE, 237
Z_Footer, 288
Z_Header, 288
Z_HIDDEN, 237
Zapf Chancery, 417
example of, 400
Zapf Dingbats, 132, 136, 417
example of, 400
See also ITC Zapf Dingbats
ZSoft Corporation, 595, 600

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Peach pit Press .. 1085 Keith Ave. ... Berkeley, CA 94708
Phone: 800/283-9444 or 415/527-8555 .. Fax: 415/524-9775
Satisfaction guaranteed or your money refunded

,-

Keyboard Shortcuts
Esc . . . . . . . . . . .
· . . . . Redraw Screen
Esc (within dialog box) .
· . . . Clear Current Line
Home / End .
.Jump to First/Last Page
Pg Up / Pg On
· Jump to Next/Previous Page
Del . . .
Cut Item to Clipboard (removes from page)
Shift-Del ..
. Copy Item to Clipboard (preserves on page)
Ins . . . . .
Paste Item from Clipboard
Ctrl-Enter
· . . . . . . . Line Break
Ctrl-Hyphen
· . . . . Discretionary Hyphen
Ctrl-Spacebar
· . . . . . Nonbreaking Space
Ctrl-Shift-[ or Ctrl-Shift-]
· Left or Right Quotation Mark
Trademark (TM)
Ctrl-Sh ift-2
Ctrl-Shift-C .
· . . . . . . Copyright (©)
Ctrl-Shift-F .
· . . . . . . Figure Space
Ctrl-Shift-M .
· . . . . . . . . Em Space
Ctrl-Shift-R
Registered Trademark (®)
Ctrl-Shift-T
· . . . . Thin Space
Ctrl-[ .. .
· . . . En Dash (-)
Ctrl-] .. .
· . . . Em Dash (-)
Ctrl-2 (in frame or graphics mode) .
· . Insert New Frame
Ctrl-2 (in tagging mode) ..
· .. Add New Tag
Ctrl-B . . . . . . . . .
· Renumber Chapter
Ctrl-C (in text mode) .
· Insert Special Item
Ctrl-C (in table mode)
· . Set Column Width
Ctrl-C-F1
Insert Box Character
Ctrl-C-F2 . . . . . . .
· . Insert Footnote
Ctrl-C-F3 . . . . . . .
· . Insert Index Entry
Ctrl-C-F4 (base version)
· . . . Insert Fraction
Ctrl-C-F4 (Professional Extension)
· . . Insert Equation
Ctrl-C-F5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Insert Frame Anchor
Ctrl-C-F6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
· Insert Cross Reference
Ctrl-C-F7 (Professional Extension)
· . . Insert Marker Name
Ctrl-C-F8 (Professional Extension)
Insert Variable Definition
Ctrl-C-F9 (Professional Extension)
· . . . . Insert Table
Ctrl-D (in text mode) .
· . . . Edit Special Item
Ctrl-D (in table mode)
· . . Edit Table Settings
Ctrl-E .
Switch to Enlarged View
Ctrl-G
· . . . . . Jump to Page
Ctrl-I
Switch to Tagging Mode
Ctrl-K .
· . . . . Update Tag List
Ctrl-N
· Switch to Normal View
Ctrl-O
· . .Switch to Text Mode
Ctrl-P .
· Switch to Graphics Mode
Ctrl-Q
· . . . Select All Graphics
Ctrl-R
· Switch to Reduced View
Ctrl-S .
· . . . . . . . . . . . Save
Ctrl-T .
Show/Hide Tab, Return, Index, & Other Special Markers
Ctrl-U
· . . . . Switch to Frame Mode
Ctrl-W
· . . . . . . Show/Hide Sidebar
Ctrl-X .
· Recall Most Recent Dialog Box
Ctrl-X (within dialog box)
· . . . . . . Cancel Dialog Box

Tips &Tricks
3rd EditiQn

Newly

revised and

RESPONSE FROM REVIEWERS

updated'

"It's tough to critique this book, simply because
there is so much downright useful information in it.
Let me put it simply: If you use Ventura Publisher
and you don't buy this book, then you've either
spent hundreds of hours learning everything you
need to know or you' re an idiot."
FA C T S HEET FIVE

"Ted Nace and Daniel Will-Harris have a passion for
Ventura . If you work with Ventura, get this book. "

RESPONSE FROM READERS
"Ventura Tips & Tricks is absolutely fantastic! I bought
it after using Ventura for a few months, and it's
made all the difference in the world ."
JOEL KO lB ENSVIK . MCKINNEY , TeX A S

CO MPUT E R CURR E N TS

"The amount of information in this thick volume is
staggering . This is the book you must have regard less of any other Ventura book you own ."

" I have used three different books on Ventura and
found yours to be the most useful. Keep up the good
work ."
BE R NA R D Z A W R OTNY , S HR UB O A K , NEW YO R K

NY P C U S ER G ROUP N EW S LE T TER

"If you want to get beyond the basics, Tips & Tricks
is indispensible. There's no other word for it. "

" Ventura Tips & Tricks is the most complete reference for anyone serious about using Ventura Publisher."
JO H N M EYER , FO RM E R PR ESI D ENT , VENTU R A SOFTW AR E

VE N T U RA PR O FE SS I O NAL

"Every serious Ventura user will want Ted Nace's
Ventura Tips & Tricks."
PUBLI S H

"Thank you for your book- it's a lifesaver! Your
careful step-by-step instructions have brought many
things into focus that are muddled (or not even
mentioned) in the manual."

(For more magazine reviews, see inside front cover.;

ISBN 0-938151-20-7

M A R GE BEST , CUPERTINO . CALIFO R NIA

"Mr. Nace and contributors have done an outstanding
job on this book. Some of the tips have already
bailed me out of several jams."
W ALTE R A . FAULKNER , LAKEWOOD , COLO R ADO

(For m ore reader responses, see inside front cover)

$27 .95

COMPUTER BOOKSHELF CATEGORY
DESKTOP PUBLISH ING , IBM

o

Peachpit Press
1085 Keith Ave., Berkeley, CA 94708
Tel 800/283-9444 or 415/527 -8555

Fax 415/524-9775
Cover design: Oennis Mcleod



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